Since Latour’s withdrawal from the traditional en primeur campaign, these ex-cellar releases have become eagerly anticipated meaning that the excellent 2015 vintage is set to see huge demand as it’s the first late release from a great vintage.

2015 was a strong vintage for Bordeaux. In Galloni’s in-bottle appraisal in 2018, Antonio Galloni said “Two thousand fifteen has turned out to be a fabulous vintage for Bordeaux” and “The finest 2015s are wonderfully sensual, exotic wines that should drink well relatively early and also reward aging.” Importantly of this release, he comment that “Latour really stands out”.

Recent notes from the critics back up this assertion and have shown this to be a spectacular young First Growth. For Lisa Perrotti-Brown, “grainy-textured tannins and tantalizing acidity lend gravitas to all this flamboyant fruit”, Jane Anson praises this as “A beautiful wine, thoroughly enjoyable, extremely well-handled and set to power through the decades” and Neal Martin found it “sublime”.

Looking at the price, Latour 2015 sits nicely below the Lafite and Chateau Margaux in the same vintage, making it an eye-catching opportunity given the comparable scores, as is demonstrated by the table below.

Forts de Latour is always one of the great second wines of Bordeaux and is superb in 2017. Lisa Perrotti-Brown awards it an eye-catching 94 points and calls it “elegantly styled, medium body with fantastically ripe, ever so fine-grained tannins and beautiful tension”. For those seeking a window into the Latour style at a more accessible price, it’s compelling.

Do take a look, and if you would like any secured please contact your Account Manager or reply to this email.

With best wishes,
The Vinum Team

The 2015 Château Latour is a blend of 97.1% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2.6% Merlot, and 0.3% Petit Verdot. Deep garnet colored, it requires a considerable amount of shaking to wake up the nose of plum preserves, warm cassis, and black cherry compote, giving way to exotic nuances of licorice, sandalwood, rose oil, and cardamom. The medium-bodied palate slowly expands in the mouth to reveal opulent notes of exotic spices, black fruit preserves, and floral accents, leading to a compelling minerally undercurrent. Wonderfully taut, firm, grainy-textured tannins and tantalizing acidity lend gravitas to all this flamboyant fruit, delivering a very long and fragrant finish. (2023) www.thewineindependent.com
98 points Lisa Perrotti-Brown 

Aromatically this floats out of the glass, intense and concentrated but full of light and life. Waves of flavour come at you, from crushed raspberries, pomegrante and blackcurrant to fresher redcurrant and lemongrass set against richer truffles, crayon and smoked earth. Mouthwatering, this really is a vintage where you can see the impact of the biodynamic vineyard work, with a greater sense of sculpting and violet florality than you would have found in this Pauillac powerhouse a decade earlier, without sacrificing structure and depth. As it opens, the sweetness of a ripe vintage comes through in edges of smoked caramel. A beautiful wine, thoroughly enjoyable, extremely well-handled and set to power through the decades. Harvest September 15 to October 10, 30% of production in the main wine. Hélène Genin technical director. (2023) www.janeanson.com
98 points Jane Anson 

The 2015 Latour was bottled in July 2017 and contains 13.04% alcohol. It is blessed with a refined and focused bouquet: perfumed blackberry and raspberry scents, iodine, pine and light pencil shaving aromas. It has dispensed with the subtle fig-like/exotic notes noticeable three years ago, arguably a little more conservative today. The palate is medium-bodied, with fine-grain tannins; harmonious and poised, clean and precise, understated with an irresistible silky texture. The 2015 does not possess a peacock’s tail like a top-tier Latour. No, it prefers to remain cool, calm and collected for now. This sublime First Growth will cruise for many years. (2023) www.vinous.com Drink 2025-2055
96 points Neal Martin 

2017 Forts de Latour
 SGD $1,750 ($1,890 inc GST) per case (6*75cl OWC)
A blend of 65.2% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 0.8% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot, the 2017 Les Forts de Latour has a medium to deep garnet color with a lingering hint of purple. It prances out of the glass with fragrant scents of black raspberries, mulberries, and black currant pastilles, leading to suggestions of lilacs, iron ore, fragrant earth, and black truffles, plus a waft of fallen leaves. The palate delivers an elegantly styled, medium body with fantastically ripe, ever so fine-grained tannins and beautiful tension supporting the intense black and red berry layers, finishing with impressive length and loads of mineral and floral sparks. (2023) www.thewineindependent.com
94 points Lisa Perrotti-Brown