2015 Château Latour, Pauillac, Bordeaux

Intense, a reminder of how Latour sets the benchmark for how to respond to hot vintages over in Pauillac. There is a muscular set to the tannins, woven through delicate slate and crayon edge, with touches of fragrant fennel and aniseed, black tea, chamomile, crushed roses, excellent quality. A rare Pauillac that is better than the 2014. Harvest September 15 to October 10, 30% of production in the main wine. Hélène Genin technical director.

Drink 2025 to 2045.

Aromas of iron, oyster shell, rust and stones with blueberries and blackberries. Full-bodied, yet ever so polished and refined. It rolls off the palate with fruit and salty flavours. Tight, focused and always refined. Pretty length. 97% cabernet sauvignon gives this brightness.

Tasted blind. Blueish crimson with a pale rim. Very sweet with strong tea-leaf aromas and a little chewiness on the end. Not too forced. Very rich and hedonistic. Long and luscious.

Drink 2024 - 2042

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, pomegranate and blackcurrant to fresher redcurrant and lemongrass set against richer truffles, crayon and smoked earth. Mouthwatering, this is a vintage where you can see the impact of the biodynamic vineyard work, with a greater sense of sculpting and violet floral 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 the edges of smoked caramel. A beautiful wine, thoroughly enjoyable, extraordinarily 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. 

Hold +3 years or carafe 4 hours.

The 2015 Latour is a blend of 97.1% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2.6% Merlot, and 0.3% Petit Verdot. Deep garnet in colour, it needs a little swirling to uncover the latent scents of black and red currant preserves, followed by notes of juicy blackberries, baked plums, and incense, plus touches of graphite and violets. 

The medium-bodied palate is completely filled with energetic black fruit and exotic spice layers, framed by super-ripe, firm, grainy tannins and bold freshness, finishing with a muscular burst of pure black fruit and lingering mineral sparks.

Drink 2024 - 2050