2003 Latour

FRANCE / BORDEAUX / PAUILLAC
abv 13.0%
  • 100 WA
  • 98 WS
  • 97 IWC
  • 90 JR
  • Variety
    Red Bordeaux Blend
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SKU: 52801-2003
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  • International Wine Cellar | Rating: 97

    ($449-$850) Red-ruby. Explosive aromas of plum liqueur, currant, minerals and lead pencil. Huge, lush, sweet and utterly seamless; this has the palate-caressing texture of liquid velvet. About as deep as this extreme vintage gets. Finishes with noble, compellingly sweet tannins and great length. This is amazing wine, and only its exotic character prevented me from giving it an even higher score. Interestingly, the IPT here is 65, compared to 67 for the 2005. But this voluminous and powerful wine will be more fun to drink than the 2005 for many years simply due to its sensual appeal, even if the 2005 should ultimately surpass it in verve, minerality and overall aromatic complexity. (Incidentally, Latour's third wine, simply called Pauillac, is extremely good in both 2005 and 2003-the former vintage showing terrific energy and loads of early personality, and the latter fat, round and exotic, with what Engerer described as a |Napa nose.|)
    Author: Stephen Tanzer
    Issue: May/June 2006

  • Wine Advocate | Rating: 100

    Administrator Frederic Engerer says the 2003 is |the sexiest Latour ever made.| He also described it as |A?A?the 1990 without any brettanomyces.| I loved this wine from the barrel and was fortunate enough to be able to purchase a small quantity, enjoying every bottle I have had. A profound example of Chateau Latour, the full-bodied, opulent 2003 is already performing well at age eleven, which is somewhat atypical. The pH is a relatively high 3.8, which also indicates low acidity. The wine is very ripe, but not over-ripe, offers great freshness, and lots of creme de cassis and camphor as well as hints of blackberries and chocolate. Dense, thick and unctuously textured, this staggering Latour is undeniably the most sumptuous, opulent wine made here since the 1982 or 1961. Drink it over the next two decades.
    Author: Robert Parker

  • Jancis Robinson | Rating: 18

    Dark crimson. Glowing. Lovely depth, smoothness and glamour. This is the business! Long and fresh and wonderfully well balanced. (Average group score: 19)
    Author: Jancis Robinson

  • Wine Spectator | Rating: 98

    Intense aromas of blackberry, licorice, currant and mineral. Full-bodied, with very well-integrated tannins and a long, long finish. Very refined and beautiful. Goes on for minutes. This reminds me of the fabulous 1996. But even better. 10,000 cases made.
    Author: James Suckling
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  • Self | Rating: 100

    Author: dave1161

  • Self | Rating: 100

    Author: winefolio

  • Self | Rating: 95

    Author: saint

  • Self | Rating: 98

    Author: gd10102

  • Self | Rating: 98

    Drink Dates: 2010-2035
    Author: Guest Guest

  • Self | Rating: 97

    Deep Blue Baby. Double decanted, at 9:45AM for service at dinner. Light sediment. Aromas did not wait for the glass, came soaring out of the bottle with the cork. Took one sip before rebottling -- black fruit, cassis essence, tar. Sweet nose, huge body and grip. Going to be great tonight and for many nights to come. At dinner, 8PM, first pour is muted, dark and reflective. Clear coating the glass, but very rich in |Napa quality| fruit (but at 13% alcohol) Tannins are ripe, present but very silky. Huge. Delicious to drink, like a top Cab. Then, an hour and a half later, it's a completely different wine, at another level of complexity. Not richer, but more intense and distinct. Floral, pine forest, mint, lingonberry, an utterly captivating nose that stops you dead. Brighter on the mid palate. Mouth watering finish, goes on for 60+ seconds. Not a classic Latour, but certainly an amazing top Bordeaux. Priced like two top wines, don't drink so fast that you miss that second one! Enjoy now with time, or watch the evolution for decades. (97 pts.)
    Drink Dates: 2015-2035
    Author: Miguel L

  • Self | Rating: 97

    The shocker of the evening. The nose was purely candied, w/ licorice and sweet chocolate that were flat out sexy. The palate penetration was phenomenal, it reminded me of a top flight Achaval Ferrer Malbec. Pure raspberry ganache, plush and generous w/ the most impressive length of all the wines tasted during the evening. A young Latour as candied and sexy? Hell has frozen over.
    Drink Dates: 04-01-2008
    Author: Brad Coelho
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Chateau Latour is among the First Growth properties classified in the Bordeaux 1855 Classification. The estate is situated in the southern portion of Pauillac, bordering St. Julien and the Gironde estuary. Latour is considered one of the longest-lasting First Growths, reflecting its high proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon. The blend is typically 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot. The fruit is grown in vineyards with notably high levels of gravel and an ideal southeastern exposure. Latour is typified by its concentrated fruit and complexity. Young vintages are forward and jammy with multiple layers of fruit. Aromas include black-currant, cherry and prune, with a dusty bouquet of mint, leather, cedar, and tobacco. Chateau Latour can age a lifetime and should not be approached for ten to twenty years. Some of the best vintages include 1949, 1959, 1961, 1982, 1990, and 2000. Chateau Latour also produces a second wine called Les Forts de Latour and a third wine labeled simply Pauillac.

See other similar producers:Chateau Haut Brion,Chateau Margaux,Chateau Leoville Las Cases
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Located in the southwest of France, Bordeaux is the single largest fine-wine-producing region in the world, with more than 15,000 growers spread over 57 appellations and more than 700 million bottles produced annually. The region boasts a two-thousand-year winemaking history and some of the wine world's most recognized and highly sought-after names. Red Bordeaux blends comprise eighty percent of production, but dry and sweet whites are also well-known. The region is divided into the Left and Right Banks (of the Dordogne River); Cabernet Sauvignon prevails in the former and Merlot in the latter.
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White Bordeaux blends are most commonly composed of Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc, and come in a range of dry and sweet styles. Sémillon contributes body while Sauvignon Blanc adds high acidity, a characteristic that is particularly important in the sweet wines of Bordeaux.

Sauternes is one of the world’s most prestigious regions for sweet wine production, made possible by Sémillon’s affinity for noble rot. Wines from world-renowned Château d’Yquem are fermented and matured in new oak for up to three years and can age for decades in bottle. These wines display complex aromas of melon, honey, apricot, citrus peel, mango, and butterscotch and develop added complexity and aromas with age.

The best dry wines from this blend come from producers such as Château Haut-Brion, Château Pape Clément, and Domaine de Chevalier in Pessac-Léognan and Graves. These wines are typically fermented and matured in new oak and display a full-bodied richness with concentrated nutty flavors overlaying the fruit.

Due to its freshness and flavor profile, dry white Bordeaux blends pair well with almost any white food, including all types of fish, poultry, veal, and pork. The sweet wines of Bordeaux pair well with foie gras, oysters, blue cheese, spicy food (particularly Asian cuisines), any dish with sweet notes, and of course, dessert.
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Collector Data For This Wine

  • 5174 bottles owned
  • 509 collectors
  • Average collector rating: 98
    (Out of 509 collectors)