FORTS DE LATOUR

1855 classification - Premier Grand Cru Classé The famous dovecote at Château Latour dates from the early 17th Century when vines were just starting to edge out general agriculture as the business of the Haut-Médoc. Later on in the 17th Century, Latour came into the ownership of the Ségur family who owned Lafite at the time too. The Ségur family, and their descendents, owned Latour right up until the 1960s. Sale of shares in Latour freed up finance for investment and modernisation. In 1993, Latour was purchased by the billionaire François Pinault from whom has flowed renwed investment. Château Latour sits at the southern end of Pauillac, facing Leoville Las Cases across the Ruisseau de Juillac. 47ha of vines sit around the château itself - the l'Enclos - and this provides grapes for the grand vin. From the l'Enclos, and other vines spread around Pauillac, comes the second wine - Les Forts de Latour and a "third" wine generically labelled "Pauillac". The vineyard is planted to 80% Cabernet Sauvignon with nearly 20% Merlot and a small amount of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. The grand vin is aged all in new wood, Les Forts de Latour is a 50/50 mix of new and one year old casks. Latour's reputation is built as much on weaker vintages as the classic years - whilst everybody can make a great wine in years like 2005 and 2009, Latour has a consistency across the vintages that sees great wines made even when others are struggling.