Chateau Latour Premier Cru Classe, Pauillac 2010

The final blend is just over 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, with most of the balance being Merlot.

Just over a third of the harvest made it into the grand vin to give a wine of startling concentration and purity. It has lovely, forward cassis fruit and a hint of spice on the attack. The texture is fresh but not overly tannic, and there is a surprisingly sweet, silky feel cloaking the powerful extract. It is best to wait another decade before trying this, but it will last a half-century beyond that. Moderate temperatures followed a flowering disrupted slightly by cool weather and rain. The summer was dry and sunny, if somewhat cool. The Merlot was picked beginning on the 20th of September and the Cabernet on the 4th of October.

Drink 2032 - 2082

The 2010 Latour is conspicuously deep in colour. It has an intellectual, intense and captivating bouquet with mineral-rich black fruit, graphite and crushed rose petal scents. Utterly spellbinding. The palate is the real deal. Heavenly balance, perfect acidity with seamlessly integrated new oak, there is an enthralling crescendo towards a finish that is simply as good as Bordeaux gets. Impeccable.

Drink 2028 - 2070