Latour 1995 (3.0L)

97 DE / 96 RP / 96 WCI / 94+ VM / 94 WS / 18.5 JR

The nose showed warm and sunny, baked black and red fruit on the nose and a supple but dense texture. The impressive level of tannin noted in earlier tastings is softening now, and the wine is ready to drink but will hold. A lovely wine, outperforming the 1996 at this point. Picking was finished in September, taking place from the 13th to the 27th. The final blend is nearly three-quarters Cabernet Sauvignon, with just a drop of Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot and Merlot for the balance.-Charles Curtis MW, Decanter. Tasted 2/22

A beauty, the opaque dense purple-colored 1995 exhibits jammy cassis, vanillin, and minerals in its fragrant but still youthful aromatics. Medium to full-bodied, with exceptional purity, superb concentration, and a long, intense, ripe, 40-second finish, this is a magnificent example of Latour. As the wine sat in the glass, scents of roasted espresso and toasty new oak emerged. This classic will require considerable cellaring. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2050. - Robert M. Parker, Jr., The Wine Advocate

It has been close to a decade since I last this wine. The time in the cellar has added a lot here. Still youthful, some secondary characteristics have started appearing. Now you find cigar wrapper, creme de cassis, oyster shell, smoke, forest floor, cranberry, and red plums. Full-bodied, powerful, tannic, and with a gentle austerity, there is a firmness in the finish that works perfectly with all the layers of ripe, crisp, red berries. 2 hours in the decanter works well here. Drink from 2025-2065.-Jeff Leve, Wine Cellar Insider, tasted 07/22

Deep ruby-red color. More expressive aromas of crystallized dark berries, dark chocolate and animal fur. Lush and sweet; thick but delineated. Wonderfully concentrated. This, too, seems rather withdrawn today, but the strength of material is clear to see. Finishes with firm tannins and explosive fruit that goes on and on. - Josh Raynolds, Vinous Media

Black licorice, cedar, cigar box and fresh herbs. Full-bodied and very structured, with firm, silky tannins and a long finish. Needs time.--'95/'96 Bordeaux retrospective. Best after 2009. - Wine Spectator

Lustrous deep crimson almost right out to the rim still. Hint of mint on the nose – quite aromatic. Pretty. Charming for a Latour grand vin! Though there is a strong undertow of graphite. More intense than 1996.-Jancis Robinson