2010 Les Forts de Latour, Pauillac, Bottle (750ml)

RP97 Bizarre as it may sound, the 2010 Les Forts de Latour is also the finest I have ever tasted from this selection, which comes from specific vineyards, not really so much a second wine as just another wine from estate holdings. A blend of 72.5% Cabernet Sauvignon and 27.5% Merlot that represents 40% of the production, this astonishing wine hit 14.3% natural alcohol. Extremely ripe and rich, it reminds me of the 1982 on steroids (and that wine is still drinking great 30 years after the vintage). Sensational notes of graphite, crushed rocks, black fruits, camphor and damp forest notes are present in this expansive, savory, full-throttle wine, which is better than many vintages of the great Latour itself from the past. (That may be a heretical statement, but it’s the truth as I see it.) This wine needs a good 5-6 years of cellaring and should age for three decades at minimum, given the fact that the 1982 is in terrific form and wasn’t this concentrated or prodigious.

LP96 Very deep garnet-black in color, the 2010 Les Forts de Latour is a blend of 64.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and 5.5% Petit Verdot. After a little swirling, notes of plum preserves, crème de cassis, dark chocolate, espresso, and Indian spices erupt from the glass, plus suggestions of menthol and cedar. The medium to full-bodied palate is completely coated with densely packed black fruit layers, supported by firm, grainy tannins and seamless freshness, finishing with epic length. Developing very slowly, this Les Forts is still just shy of its ideal drinking window. Give it another 4-5 years in bottle, and then drink it over the next 20+ years.