2005 Les Forts de Latour, Pauillac

SKU #1045395 94 points James Suckling

Very classy with plenty of raspberry, currant, and licorice character. This is dense and compacted on the palate. Leave it for at least two or three years from now. (4/2012)

94 points Wine Spectator

Shows blackberry, coffee, cedar, and raisin on the nose, turning to licorice and fresh flowers. Full-bodied, with refined, silky tannins and a long finish. Balanced and juicy. Builds on the palate, with currant, licorice and mineral character, followed by a powerful finish. An amazing second wine. (3/2008)

92 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

The 2005 Forts de Latour (10,000 cases produced) possesses much of the same character as Latour, but sweeter tannins, more obvious and forward fruit, medium to full body, and a more seductive, plusher style, but not the great stature, richness, and architectural precision of its bigger brother. Nevertheless, it is a gorgeous Pauillac that should drink well for two decades or more. (RP) (4/2008)

92 points Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar

Good red-ruby. Exotic aromas of roasted plum, currant and graphite. Big, round and sweet but with the broad shoulders of the year. The silky flavors of currant, tobacco and sweet oak show extraordinary baby fat and volume. Wonderfully rich, expressive wine with a very long, silky, aromatic back end. 'Better than the 2007 Latour today, and almost as long,' says Engerer. (5/2007)

92 points Wine Enthusiast

Always the equivalent of many classed growths, Les Forts de Latour is hardly a second wine, deriving from a particular parcel of the Latour vineyard. This 2005 is beautifully balanced, with lively fresh acidity, dense tannins and ripe, juicy black fruits. The acidity stays right to the end. (6/2008)

91 points Wine & Spirits

It took four days after this bottle was first opened for the wine to shed the tough, reductive character in the tannin and begin to show the plump claret this will become with time. What initially feels dark, ripe and dry-as-a-drought turns toward juicy red and black currant fruit underlined by pleasantly bitter chocolate tannin. Les Forts is produced from the young vines at Latour's Grand Enclos (the main vineyard) from lots that do not make it into the first wine, plus selections from three other estate parcels. (10/2008)

Decanter

Deep extraction of fragrant, floral small berry Cabernet fruit, both creamy and crunchy, fresh and exuberant, much more approachable than expected due to perfect ripeness, very fine. Drink 2012-25. 18/20 points. (4/2006)

Jancis Robinson

Dark ruby. Dense and voluptuous on the nose. Very beguiling indeed already. Lovely texture and tastes like essence of Latour already. Everything in its place. 17.5/20 points. (1/2015)