2016 Chateau Latour Les Forts de Latour, Pauillac

Comprising 71 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 29 % Merlot

The 2016 Les Forts de Latour is the clear highlight among these new releases from Latour. The first thing that is evident about the 2016 is the pedigree of the vintage. Undisputedly great. Readers will find a potent, dark Forts de Latour endowed with massive concentration and tons of depth. The 2016 won’t be ready to drink anytime soon, but it holds tons of promise. Hints of gravel, sage, licorice and pencil shavings linger. The 2016 was impressive a few years ago. It is even better today.

96 points Antonio Galloni Vinous Drink 2026-2041 

A perfumed nose of tar, dried flowers, cedar and wet earth. Medium- to full-bodied with exceptional balance, showing precise yet concentrated dark fruit complemented by well-integrated tannins that add definition. Beginning to open and already approachable, yet will continue aging well. Drink or hold. 10 Years On retrospective.

95 points Jacobo García Andrade for James Suckling

Les Forts de Latour has long redefined what a second wine can be. Drawn from exceptional parcels surrounding Château Latour's legendary L'Enclos vineyard, it is produced with the same meticulous care and uncompromising standards as the Grand Vin. The result is a wine that stands comfortably alongside many classified growths, offering the unmistakable pedigree, structure and longevity that have made Château Latour one of Bordeaux's greatest estates.

The exceptional 2016 vintage is regarded as one of the finest in modern Bordeaux history, combining extraordinary concentration with freshness and precision. Pauillac's deep Günzian gravel soils produced Cabernet Sauvignon of remarkable purity, while rigorous fruit selection and traditional élevage have created a wine of exceptional harmony and ageing potential. Even in its youth, the balance and refinement are unmistakable.

Deep garnet with youthful ruby highlights, the bouquet reveals cassis, blackberry and black cherry layered with cedar, graphite and cigar box. As the wine opens, notes of violets, pencil shavings, dark chocolate and subtle spice emerge, adding remarkable complexity and classic Pauillac character. The palate is beautifully sculpted, with concentrated black fruits supported by polished tannins, vibrant acidity and a finely etched mineral backbone. Powerful yet effortlessly refined, the finish is exceptionally long, leaving lingering notes of cedar, savoury spice and unmistakable First Growth character.

An outstanding companion for Chateaubriand, roast lamb, venison loin, duck with black truffle or mature Comté. Already immensely impressive with extended decanting, this remarkable Pauillac will continue to reward patient collectors for decades.

Cellaring: Drink now to 2055.