Les Forts de Latour, second to none, a reputation like no other ..... Absolute Class.

Les Forts de Latour is produced with the same careful care as the Grand Vin Château Latour itself. Both in the vineyard and in the winery. The only noticeable difference, apart from the origin of the grapes, is the proportion of new barrels (50 to 60%) used in the ripening phase. The blend for the Château Latour les Forts de Latour can vary from year to year, but there is always a higher proportion of Merlot (25 to 30%) compared to the Grand Vin. Composed of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35.6% Merlot, 0.5% Cabernet Franc and 0.9% Petit Verdot, has the Château Latour Les Forts de Latour 2015 requires quite a bit of air to reveal a deep, powerful nose of cassis syrup, blackberries, preserved plums, and dark chocolate, with suggestions of Chinese five-spice, clove oil, violets, and pebbles. The palate possesses an absolute sultriness, bursting with rich, ripe black fruit and a hint of flint, framed by beautifully soft tannins, and with a long, mineral finish. Not heavy at all; on the contrary, the Les Forts is both expansive and seductively refreshing. Although it drinks very well now, it can easily cellar for a good 20 years, perhaps more. This wine averages 94 points from all major wine critics.

Château Latour

Chateau Latour is one of the oldest wineries in France. Located in the heart of the Médoc, just 300 meters from the banks of the Gironde, this riverbed has had a major influence on the composition of the soil over time, giving it the complexity for which the Latour terroir is known. Furthermore, the proximity of the large body of water ensures a moderate temperature and protects the vineyards from extreme cold.

History

Château Latour was already mentioned in a document from 1331. However, the château truly became famous when Alexandre de Ségur acquired the estate in the late 17th century, as a result of successive marriages and inheritances. This Alexandre, and later his son, Nicolas-Alexandre, had foresight… They purchased several important vineyards in the Médoc, including Lafite and Mouton. In the early 18th century, English aristocrats developed an interest in exceptional Bordeaux wines. The wines of the Médoc, including Château Latour, excelled in terms of price and quality. Consequently, the wine was already very well known and highly appreciated among connoisseurs. The vineyards were expanded more and more, and in 1855 the château obtained Premier Cru status in the official classification. Until 1962, Château Latour was exclusively in the hands of the Ségur family. However, the large number of heirs resulted in the sale of the majority of the shares to the British Pearson and Allied Lyons group at the time.

In 1993, François Pinault (of the luxury house Kering and the investment company Aremis) purchased 93% of Château Latour, while the remaining 7% stayed with the Ségur family. Pinault elevated the estate to an even higher level by renovating the barrel room, the facilities, and even the storerooms. In his pursuit of perfection, he also created a new aging cellar in 2012. He also decided to no longer sell the wines “en primeur.” This also resulted in a significantly higher margin.

The wines are of excellent quality year after year and intended to last a lifetime. Full, concentrated, and rich are the keywords. Absolute Class. The average age of the vines is over 50.