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2009 Les Forts de Latour, Pauillac (Pre-Arrival) Product Zoom

2009 Les Forts de Latour, Pauillac (Pre-Arrival)

SKU #1055169 95 points James Suckling

The aromas are so floral, with currants and blueberries as well. Succulent. Full and very balanced, with super velvety tannins and a long and lovely finish. Frederic Engerer, president of Latour, uses the word "succulent" to describe it. He’s right. I like the word gorgeous as well. Try in 2018, but hard not to drink. (2/ 2012)

95 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

Possibly the best second wine ever made at Latour (and I love how the 1982 is drinking at age 30), the 2009 Les Forts de Latour is composed of two-thirds Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Merlot blended with a tiny dollop of Petit Verdot, and finished at 13.5% alcohol. Juicy notes of creme de cassis, licorice, camphor, smoke and crushed rocks are followed by a rich, unctuously textured, thick, juicy, exceptionally pure, long wine. This beauty will be at its finest in several years and should keep for three decades. (2/ 2012)

95 points Wine Enthusiast

Mint aromas hint at the wood, but more important is the massive Merlot fruit that is an essential element in the blend. The result is a wine that blends richness and power with an initially severe character. Slowly it opens to reveal opulent blackberry jam flavors, immensely ripe. (2/ 2012)

93 points Wine Spectator

This has purity and precision, with mouthwatering blackberry, black currant and steeped plum fruit racing along, nicely laced with graphite and studded with enticing ganache and iron notes through the finish. Sleek, but the grip is there. Best from 2014 through 2028. (3/ 2012)

90 points Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar

Ruby-red. Pungently fragrant aromas of blackcurrant and cedar complicated by quinine and bay leaf. Rich, dense and suave, with rather brooding flavors of blackberry, plum liqueur, aromatic herbs and forest floor. This has shut down since the Primeurs and will need patience. Lacks only the generosity of the grand vin but should be outstanding. And it's a remarkable second wine. (7/ 2012)

K&L Notes

**+ Big and rich. Great balance and lots of depth. At the property: Pepper and spice and everything nice. Lively, fresh and vibrant. An excellent second wine. From Ralph Sands: "Great second wine with charged up dark raspberry and sweet Bing cherry fruit. Zesty and fresh." 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc.

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Price: $319.99
JS 95 RP 95 WE 95
WS 93 ST 90

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By: Clyde Beffa Jr. |  K&L Staff Member  |  Review Date: 9/13/2010  | Send Email
Tasted in September 2010: Soft, sexy and quite elegant.

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Additional Information:

Varietal:

Cabernet Sauvignon and Blends

- Cabernet Sauvignon has come a long way from its role as a blending varietal, however dominant, in the wines of Bordeaux. Today it is the most planted red varietal in the world. Identified as a descendent of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc, the late-ripening Cabernet Sauvignon needs to be planted in warmer climates to fully ripen. Its small berries can easily be identified for their distinctive blue color, thick skins and high tannins. And while the varietal has its own definitive characteristics: green pepper-like aromas and black currant flavors among them, it is perhaps most prized for its ability to convey terroir, vintage and winemaking. A relatively new varietal, Cabernet Sauvignon started making inroads into the wines of the Médoc and Graves in the late-18th century. Today it is also dominant in the up-and-coming Entre-Deux-Mers region of Bordeaux and can also be found in Southwest France. It is the companion varietal to Sangiovese in Italy's Super Tuscans and is planted all over Europe, stretching to lesser-known winegrowing regions like Russia and Lebanon. In the Americas Cabernet Sauvignon has found champions in every nook and cranny of California and among winemakers in Washington, where it complements plantings of Merlot. In South America, Cab thrives in Chile, but can also be found in smaller amounts in Argentina and even in Mexico.
Country:

France

- When it comes to wine, France stands alone. No other country can beat it in terms of quality and diversity. And while many of its Region, Bordeaux, Burgundy and Champagne most obviously, produce wine as rare, as sought-after and nearly as expensive as gold, there are just as many obscurities and values to be had from little known appellations throughout the country. To learn everything there is to know about French wine would take a lifetime. To understand and appreciate French wine, one only has to begin tasting them. Click for a list of bestselling items from all of France.
Sub-Region:

Bordeaux

- View our bestselling Bordeaux.
Specific Appellation:

Pauillac

- Pauillac is probably the most famous village in Bordeaux. Located between St. Julien and St. Estephe, it has more of the top ranked chateau than the other four appellations of the Haut Medoc. This area has three of the five premier cru classe wineries: Lafite Rothschild, Latour, and Mouton Rothschild. There are two of the top second-growths (Pichon Lalande and Pichon Baron) as well as several outstanding fourth and fifth-growth chateaux including Lynch Bages. Because of the gravely soils and great drainage, Pauillac has the ideal conditions to grow great Cabernet Sauvignon. The wines from this village are some of the longest-lived in Bordeaux.
Alcohol Content (%): 13.5