A blend of 84.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot and 0.5% Petit Verdot, the 2011 Latour represents only 34% of the crop. It hit 13.1% natural alcohol. One of the vintage-s most compelling wines, it possesses a dense ruby/purple color as well as a sweet, open-knit personality with ripe tannin, superb intensity, good purity and harmony, a medium to full-bodied mouthfeel, and lots of crushed rock, floral and black as well as blue fruit notes in addition to hints of ink and forest floor. This beautifully rich, savory Latour will be surprisingly drinkable in 4-5 years, and should age easily for two decades or more.
By the way, Latour harvested relatively late for the Medoc, beginning the harvest on September 12 and finishing on September 26.
The 2011 Latour is well-defined on the nose with blackberry, bilberry, cedar, hoisin and a touch of mint. There is impressive intensity here, regal and convincing. The palate is medium-bodied with grippy tannins. There is a solid backbone to this wine, plenty of freshness, quite powerful towards the finish with superb persistence. Wonderful. Tasted blind at the annual 10-Year-On tasting. 2022 - 2050
The nose is complex, featuring smoke, meat and hints of wood, with currants, olives and berries underneath. Full body with super-velvety tannins. The strong acidity gives the wine an edginess. Love the spicy, subtly fruity finish. Steely. Try in 2020.
Many have called this the best vineyard in the world and the dynamic Director of Chateau Latour, Frédéric Engerer, is determined to make the greatest wine possible. He has the confidence of owner, François Pinault, to do all that it takes to achieve this aim. Production levels have been slashed in recent vintages with only the best parcels of vines now producing grapes for the Grand Vin. Latour has always had a fantastic terroir and now has a wine-making team working with state-of-the-art modern equipment under inspired leadership. In the last 10 years Latour has made the wine of the vintage more times than any other Chateau. The grand vin is typically made from only a third of the estate's total production and is a strong expression of Cabernet Sauvignon. The 2011 is made from 34% of the estate's total production. 84.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, no Cabernet Franc and a pinch of Petit Verdot. A black colour and a dark and brooding nose. Very concentrated for a 2011 with layer upon layer of cassis fruit complimented by spicy notes and ultra fine tannins. Frédéric Engerer sees the elegance of the 2000 vintage here with the weight of 2004. This wine has a concentration that is completely atypical of the vintage and it's certainly the one to beat in the Medoc.
The nose is rich deep brooding packed with a mix of black fruits. The start of the palate is quite fresh but behind the freshness there is power richness with the layers of fruit giving complexity and the richness of the fruit filling out the back palate.
The percentage of Cabernet was reduced from a high of 90% in 2010, but this is still a sturdy, concentrated wine for the long(ish) haul, even in a vintage like 2011. Aromatic and firm, with flavours of graphite, cassis and black plums, it's a very good rather than a great Latour, with tannins that need a polish. Sadly, we won't be tasting Latour from barrel next year, as the château will not sell its wine en primeur from now on. 12+ years
Concentrated Cabernet nose lifted by floral wild violets, the classic restrained firmness of Latour with intellectual more than sensual complexity to come. Drink 2018-2040
The Grand Vin is a blend of 84.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot and 0.5% Petit Verdot, representing 34% of the crop. The nose demands coaxing from the glass with introspective dark berry fruit, mineral, graphite and just a hint of cedar. The palate is classic Latour with tensile tannins in the driving seat and the fruit residing in the passenger. It has finely tuned acidity that lends it freshness and tension. There is superb minerality towards the finish but it retains that strictness and focus without blinking. If you love Latour, you will love the 2011. Tasted April 2012.
A Latour with a steely backbone and a savory character. Blueberries and currants with hints of violets. Full body, with a long and racy finish. The texture is very tight and racy. Classy for the vintage.
