2010 Chateau Latour, Pauillac, 6ltr OWC

RP100 "One of the perfect wines of the vintage, Frederic Engerer challenged me when I tasted the 2010 Latour at the estate, asking, “If you rate the 2009 one hundred, then how can this not be higher?” Well, the scoring system stops at 100, (and has for 34 years,) and will continue for as long as I continue to write about wine. Nevertheless, this blend of 90.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9.5% Merlot, and .5% Petit Verdot hit 14.4% natural alcohol and represents a tiny 36% of their entire production. The pH is about 3.6, which is normal compared to the 3.8 pH of the 2009, that wine being slightly lower in alcohol, hence the combination that makes it more flamboyant and accessible. The 2010 is a liquid skyscraper in the mouth, building layers upon layers of extravagant, if not over-the-top richness with its hints of subtle charcoal, truffle, blackberry, cassis, espresso and notes of toast and graphite. Full-bodied, with wonderfully sweet tannin, it is a mind-boggling, prodigious achievement that should hit its prime in about 15 years, and last for 50 to 100." RP Feb 2013

LP100 "The 2010 Latour is deep garnet in color, and—WOW—it erupts from the glass with powerful crème de cassis, Black Forest cake, and blackberry pie scents, plus intense sparks of dried roses, cigar boxes, fragrant earth, and smoked meats, with wafts of aniseed and crushed rocks. Full‑bodied, concentrated, and oh‑so‑decadent on the palate, it has a firm, grainy texture and lovely freshness that carry the rich, opulent fruit to an epically long finish. It is incredibly tempting to drink now, but I suspect this hedonic experience isn’t a scratch on the mind‑blowing, otherworldly secrets this time capsule will reveal in the future. Drinking Window 2022–2080" LPB for TWP Feb 2026

JD100 "The 2010 Château Latour is a monumental wine that exemplifies what greatness in Bordeaux can be. Still deep ruby/purple in color, it offers a stunning bouquet of blackcurrants, tobacco leaf, leather, and graphite. Full-bodied and deeply concentrated, it has a layered, expansive mouthfeel, building tannins, and the unmistakable class and regalness that define Latour. Just now entering the early stages of its prime, this beauty will be drinking brilliantly long after I’m gone. Drink 2025-2100. (Drink between 2025-2100)" JD Jun 2015

VM100 "The 2010 Latour can be summed up in two words: “The king.” It convincingly asserts its superiority over other 2010s, including First Growths, in terms of its aromatic complexity, precision, balance, intensity, complexity and persistence. Simply a faultless Latour that ranks among its greatest achievements. Tasted from an ex-chateau bottle at the BI Wines & Spirits 10-Year On tasting. (Drink between 2028-2070)" NM for VM Apr 2020

Robert Parker writes, "As a set of wines, the 2010s may be the Pinaults’ and Engerer’s greatest achievements to date. Of course, I suspect the other first-growth families won’t want to hear that, nor will most of the negociants in Bordeaux, but it’s just the way things are. Frederic Engerer, by no means the most modest of administrators at the first growths, thinks it would be virtually impossible to produce a wine better than this, and he may well be correct. If they gave out Academy Awards for great performances in wine, the Pinaults and Engerer would certainly fetch a few in 2010. P.S. Just so you don’t worry, Engerer offered up the 2009 next to the 2010 to see if I thought it was still a 100-point wine, and yes, ladies and gentlemen, it still is." Published: Feb 27, 2013