2010 Les Forts de Latour, Pauillac, Bordeaux

2010 was a very dry vintage of exceptional quality, producing incredibly structured and complex wines that are a little formidable when young but should age incredibly. Deep garnet-purple colored, the nose of the 2010 Les Forts de Latour is broody with subtle notes of licorice, tar, crushed black berries and plums with hints of spice cake and hoisin. Full-bodied, firm and grainy with an impenetrable core of muscular fruit, it finishes with fantastic persistence. Give it 5-7 years at least, and then it may well outlive the 1970 Les Forts that I recently tasted with Latour's CEO, Frdric Engerer!Lisa Perrotti-Brown - 28/02/2019

The second wine of Ch. Latour shows a slightly smoky nose, yet with a great expression of rich, vigorous fruit, superb freshness and structure.

Very, very dark purple. Scented and supple on the nose! Oddly enough this seems lighter than one might expect from this vintage and name – has it absorbed all the lighter cuvées? Really quite luscious and sweet, despite its IPT of 87! Very rich for Forts. Very flattering and winning. The open face of Latour. A bit sweeter than usual – very much the open face. Less classic Latour than usual. 72.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25.5% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot. 40% of production jancis_robinson_mw MW- jancis_robinson_mw.com, Apr 2011

Les Fortsde Latour comes off as almost sweet, thanks to gentle ripeness and friendly plum sauce, raspberry and cherry compote notes, all backed by an energy that's in reserve. There's latent acidity rippling through the finish, where briar, pastis and graphite lurk as well. Really pure. A noticeable step up from the Pauillac. Tasted non-blind. james_molesworth – The Wine Spectator – Top Scoring Bordeaux 2010 – 31 Mar 2011

Bizarre as it may sound, the 2010 Les Forts de Latour is also the finest I have ever tasted from this selection, which comes from specific vineyards, not really so much a second wine as just another wine from estate holdings. A blend of 72.5% Cabernet Sauvignon and 27.5% Merlot that represents 40% of the production, this astonishing wine hit 14.3% natural alcohol. Extremely ripe and rich, it reminds me of the 1982 on steroids (and that wine is still drinking great 30 years after the vintage). Sensational notes of graphite, crushed rocks, black fruits, camphor and damp forest notes are present in this expansive, savory, full-throttle wine, which is better than many vintages of the great Latour itself from the past. (That may be a heretical statement, but it’s the truth as I see it.) This wine needs a good 5-6 years of cellaring and should age for three decades at minimum, given the fact that the 1982 is in terrific form and wasn’t this concentrated or prodigious. robert_parker- Wine Advocate- Feb 2013 Possibly the most profound Forts de Latour ever produced, the 2010, like its bigger brother, Latour, was harvested between the third week of September and October 11. Representing 40% of the production and tipping the scales at 14.3% alcohol, it is a blend of 72.5% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Merlot. Super-concentrated as well as unctuously textured and opulent, this pure, deep Forts de Latour should drink well for 25-30 years. It is as great as the prodigious 1982, which is still drinking well at age 29. robert_parker- Wine Advocate- May 2011