LES FORTS DE LATOUR 2nd wine of Ch. Latour, Pauillac 2003 Bottle

Description

The 2003 Les Forts de Latour showcases an impressive profile and complexity. James Suckling rated it 93 points, highlighting its ripe sultanas and plum notes, with full-bodied richness and ripe tannins leading to a juicy finish. The Wine Advocate awarded it 92 points, describing a dense ruby color and aromas of cold steel, lead pencil shavings, and creme de cassis. Full-bodied and opulent, it offers lush richness that can be enjoyed now or cellared for 15 years. Vinous scored it 91 points, noting its vinous and sappy character with redcurrant and spice aromas. The wine presents a classic dry finish and promises enjoyment now while also being worth aging in the bottle.

*****

JAMES SUCKLING 93 points
Riper than 2000 with sultanas and plums. It’s full with ripe tannins and a juicy finish. Be patient. Try in a year or two.

THE WINE ADVOCATE 92 points
Drink Date: 2006 - 2021
The 2003 Les Forts de la Tour possesses a dense ruby/plum/purple color in addition to notions of cold steel, lead pencil shavings, and creme de cassis. Full-bodied, opulent, heady, rich, and lush, it can be drunk now or cellared for 15+ years. What can one say about proprietor Francois Pinault and his manager, Frederic Engerer? A strong argument can be made that in 2001, 2002, 2003, and 2004, Latour produced the wine of the vintage, although it has plenty of competition in the Northern Medoc in 2003. Moreover, the bargains are the estate’s least expensive cuvee, Pauillac, followed by Les Forts de Latour, Latour’s second wine which continues to increase in quality.

VINOUS 91 points
From: The Annual Red Bordeaux Report (May 2006)
Deep ruby-red. Wonderfully vinous and sappy for the vintage, with aromas of redcurrant, mineral and spice. Sweet, rich, lush and exotic but with good spice character giving lift to the flavors. A very fine-grained wine that will give relatively early pleasure, but it can't match the 2004 or 2005 for backbone. Finishes dry and classic, with plenty of richness. - By Stephen Tanzer on May 2006

Estate manager Frederic Engerer has overseen the production of a Latour for the ages, but he cautions that the 2005 is still a rather extreme vintage in the context of this great Pauillac property. "In 2003 it was the aromas that were at the yellow line," he told me. "In 2005 it was the alcohol. We had some cabernet sauvignon at 13.9%, which is unheard of here. This was the first year we tasted the cabernet berries in the vines and actually swallowed them." The wine in barrel today has an alcohol level of 13.4% but the early impression was of a powerful, austere Pauillac that was still sorting out its components, and whose tannic clout will require a good 15 years of bottle aging. Much of the concentration here came from evaporation of water in the grapes during the first half of September. "We lost the equivalent of ten hectoliters per hectare in the space of ten days," Engerer noted; the ultimate yield was 46 hectoliters per hectare. By the way, here in a nutshell is why the first growths in 2005 are going to be priced at nosebleed levels: "The price of our 2000 is 550 euros today, and the 2003 is 575," said Engerer. "But the market is dry: there are only 250 cases of Latour from the 1995 through 2004 vintages being offered today on the Bordeaux market. So we can't exactly give away our 2005."

JANCIS ROBINSON 16.5 points
Bricky garnet. Strong leafy/cedary aroma. Lifted freshness. On the herbaceous side but dry in a refined way. Elegant in a herbaceous but not green style. Lithe and fresh. (JH)