2012 Les Forts de Latour Pauillac

Regular price $300.00

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92 Wine Advocate - This is the first vintage to not be offered En Primeur, meaning this is the first commercial release for this wine. It is composed of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot and 2% Petit Verdot. Deep garnet-purple in color, it opens with expressive notes of crème de cassis, unsmoked cigars, charcuterie and tapenade on the nose with hints of kirsch and fertile loam plus a waft of menthol. Medium to full-bodied, the palate displays great concentration, sporting beautifully ripe, finely grained tannins, wonderful freshness and a long, savory finish.

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The 2012 Les Forts de Latour is a refined, classically proportioned Pauillac: more about graphite, freshness and precision than sheer power.

It is Château Latour’s second wine, although its quality often rivals classified growths. The 2012 blend is 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, with the balance principally Merlot and a small amount of Petit Verdot. Les Forts receives the same detailed vineyard and cellar treatment as the Grand Vin, but is sourced from different parcels and matured in approximately 50–60% new oak. Château Latour

Expect:

Cassis, black cherry and restrained red fruit
Graphite, pencil shavings and wet-stone minerality
Cedar, tobacco, black pepper and a subtle minty lift
Medium to medium-full body
Fine but distinctly structured tannins
A fresh, savory finish with lingering graphite and spice

The 2012 vintage produced a lighter, more elegant expression of Latour than powerful years such as 2009, 2010 or 2016. It nevertheless has impressive density for the vintage and unmistakable Pauillac character. Mature notes of leather, cigar box and forest floor should now be beginning to emerge around the remaining cassis fruit.

It is drinking well in 2026, though properly stored bottles should continue developing into the mid-to-late 2030s.

Serve at 16–18°C / 60–64°F. Stand the bottle upright beforehand and decant for roughly 60–90 minutes, shortening that if the bouquet is already expressive. Pair it with roast lamb, ribeye, duck, braised beef, mushrooms or aged hard cheese.

Shipping Policy

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