Chateau Latour Premier Cru Classe, Pauillac 2000

Dense and complex, this shows layers of dark fruit with aromas of plum, fig, and blackcurrant overlaid with spice, leather, and earth. It is not as expressive as the 2001 vintage now, but it is more substantial, almost massive. There was rain at Latour on September 19th, which refreshed the grapes, and the team waited until September 22nd to start with the Merlot. The final blend is 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot. It is just beginning to open now and should age gracefully for another 30 or 40 years.

Drink 2022 - 2062

The 2000 Latour is very deep in colour. The nose is backward and demands coaxing from the glass, eventually revealing intense black fruit, cedar, graphite and very subtle Japanese nori aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with an arching structure that grips the mouth. The tannins are a little bolder than the 2001. This unfolds swirl by swirl, with hints of licorice emerging with time, and fanning out audaciously on the finish.

Drink 2023 - 2070

The 2000 Latour a relatively abundant 14,000 cases compared to what they produced in 2009, 2008, or 2005) is “packed and stacked.” The extremely rich, black/purple color to the rim is followed by a wine with some subtle smoke, loads of minerals, a hint of vanilla, and plenty of creme de cassis as well as roasted meat and a slight scorched earth character. Broad, savoury, and rich, the wine seems to be about 5 years away from full maturity and should drink well for at least 40-50 more years. A great effort, probably eclipsed only by 2003 and 2009.

Drink 2010 - 2060

Full medium ruby. Wonderfully sweet, rich aromas of cassis, minerals and bitter chocolate. It is a huge wine with almost painful intensity, solid as a rock and simultaneously utterly sensual and creamy, with great inner-mouth complexity, depth of flavour and a complete absence of rough edges. "Almost too easy today," says Engerer. Sweet notes of roasted nuts and chocolate add to the wine's early appeal.

A powerful, hugely rich Latour with an excellent building finish and perfectly suave tannins. This was the last vintage of Latour with a meaningful percentage 3%) of Cabernet Franc, as the old franc vines were removed after 2000. But Engerer noted that Latour planted 1.5 hectares of Petit Verdot, expected to represent up to 4% of the blend by 2004.