Chateau Latour 2001

A brilliant offering, which should be drinkable much earlier than the blockbuster 2000, the 2001 Latour boasts an inky/ruby/purple color to the rim as well as a glorious bouquet of black currants, crushed stones, vanilla, and hints of truffles and oak. A blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and the balance primarily Merlot with a touch of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, it reveals a sweetness on the palate that is atypical for such a young Latour. The beautiful integration of tannin, acidity, and wood is stunning. The wine flows across the palate with fabulous texture, purity, and presence. This luscious, full-bodied Latour was surprisingly open-knit on the three occasions I tasted it from bottle. However, do not mistake its aging ability as this 2001, despite its precociousness, will last 20-25 years. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2025.

The grand vin's final blend of 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, 2%Petit Verdot, and 1% Cabernet Franc constitutes 53% of the total production. The saturated ruby/plurple-coloured 2001 Latour boasts sweet black currant fruit aromas, plenty of extract, density and volume, and a tangy, vibrant fruit character. It does not possess the size of the 2000 or 1996, but it may turn out more aromatic and evolved than those two vintages. One of the finest efforts of the vintage, it is the first wine made in Latour's new state -of-the-art cellar. Anticipated maturity:2008-2025.

Only 53% of the production made it into the 2001 Latour, which is nearly 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, the balance primarily Merlot with a touch of Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. The wine is elegant and somewhat in the racy, noble 1999 style, but with seemingly more density as well as tannin. The first wine made in Latour's new state-of-the-art wine cellar, it exhibits sweet black fruit intermixed with minerals, an attractive, relatively evolved perfume for this blue blood Pauillac, and tremendous purity, texture, and depth. It is not a blockbuster by any means, so anyone expecting a wine the size of Latour's 2000 or 1996 will be disappointed. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2022.

The saturated ruby/purple-colored 2001 Latour boasts sweet black currant fruit aromas, plenty of extract, density, and volume, and a tangy, vibrant fruit character. It does not possess the size of the 1996 or 2000, but it may turn out more aromatic and evolved than those two vintages. This is one of the finest efforts of the vintage. It is the first wine made in Latour's new state-of-the-art cellar. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2025.

Latour's harvest occurred between October 1-10. Administrator Frederic Engerer sees similarities in the quality of the Cabernet Sauvignon fruit with that harvested in 1996. The grand vin's final blend of 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot, and 1% Cabernet Franc constitutes 53% of the total production.

Tasted blind at the chateau, the 2001 continues to be an exceptional wine, one of the finest in the vintage. It has a wonderful, graphite-tinged nose that unfurls beautifully with blackberry and touch of dried orange peel with more noticeable cigar box aromas than I have noticed before. The palate displays superb definition with fine but rigid tannins and crisp acidity. It is not a powerful Latour, but one that is very refined and controlled. In another ten years, it will be ranked against the 2000 and who knows, it may even match it. Outstanding.

Some hint of brick at the rim. Sweet and occluded on the nose. Big and bloody, this certainly delivers a punch though it’s far from refined at this point. Lots of dusty tannins. Opened up well in the glass and was very confident so I marked it up by half a point. Pretty tough style! I initially took it for La Mission.

Deep garnet colored, the nose is open and expressive even at this youthful stage, giving notes of black berry and black cherry compote, potpourri and anise with hints of sandalwood and cloves. The palate is drinking beautifully now (though with loads more to give), offering a high level of ripe, velvety tannins, enlivening acid and just enough fruit concentration, finishing long.