Latour 2000 (750ML)

100 JS / 100 WCI / 99 WA / 99 WS / 99 DE / 99 FS / 98 RP / 98 WI / 97 VM / 19 JR

Latour has made truly great wines in the past two decadesand this is one of the best. It has fabulous aromas of black truffles, currants, raspberry and dried flowers. Mind-blowing on the palate, its an emotional and soulful red. - James Suckling

Just entering the start of its long drinking window, everything about this wine rocks! The nose, with its cedar, range of tobaccos, currants, smoke, spice, and blackberries is what you initially notice. But it is on the palate, with its concentration, length, purity, expansiveness, and richness that owns the show. There is no hurry to drink this future legend. But if you are sitting on a case, why not check it out? Drink from 2023-2065.-Jeff Leve, Wine Cellar Insider

Served blind at the chateau. There is so much brooding intensity in this wine, almost as if it is stalking the senses. Certainly there is remarkable mineralite here, sensational definition with briary and graphite developing with time. The palate is firm and masculine, tannic, powerful, such density and weight on the finish, yet showing no compassion to the tasted_yet. Approached blind, this is difficult to love as it is such uncompromising Latour, but it will blossom. Tasted December 2009. - Neal Martin, The Wine Advocate

The fruit here is still very much in the primary phase, with a decidedly racy feel to the raspberry coulis, cassis and blackberry reduction notes that are streaked with violet, iron and graphite flavors. The superlong finish alternates between a tug of sweet earth and a velvety feel, as the fruit and grip are still melding together, but there's so much vivacity here, there's no concern with waiting it out. The wait may be a while though. Rather stunning that this can separate itself so clearly from the rest of 2000's high-class field. -- Blind 2000 Bordeaux retrospective (December 2015). Best from 2020 through 2040. 14,165 cases made.-James Molesworth, Wine Spectator

Dark ruby ​​garnet, violet reflections. Very fine bouquet, floral nuances, pleasant berry fruit. Full-bodied, very powerful, perfect tannins, delicate taste of fine chocolate, berry confit, wonderful extract sweetness, a wine with huge potential, everything is really in the right place here, has a convincing length, enormous future, a work of art.-Falstaff

The 2000 Latour (a relatively abundant 14,000 cases compared to what they produced in 2009, 2008, or 2005) is packed and stacked. The extremely rich, black/purple color to the rim is followed by a wine with some subtle smoke, loads of minerals, a hint of vanilla, and plenty of creme de cassis as well as roasted meat and a slight scorched earth character. Broad, savory, and rich, the wine seems to be about 5 years away from full maturity and should drink well for at least 40-50 more years. A great effort, probably eclipsed only by 2003 and 2009. - Robert Parker

The 2000 Latour is a blend of 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Petit Verdot. Deep garnet-brick in color, it sashays from the glass with gregarious notes of plum preserves, black currant pastilles, dried lavender, sandalwood, and new leather, giving way to fragrant wafts of aniseed, cigar box, and black truffles. Medium-bodied, the black fruit preserves and exotic spices flavors expand wonderfully in the mouth, complemented by a velvety texture and beautifully knit acidity, finishing on a lingering anise note. Classic.-Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Independent

Full medium ruby. Wonderfully sweet, rich aromas of cassis, minerals and bitter chocolate. A huge wine with almost painful intensity; solid as a rock and at the same time utterly sensual and creamy, with great inner-mouth complexity and depth of flavor and a complete absence of rough edges. Almost too easy today, says Engerer. Sweet notes of roasted nuts and chocolate add to the wine's early appeal. A powerful, hugely rich Latour with a great building finish and perfectly suave tannins. This was really the last vintage of Latour with a meaningful percentage (3%) of cabernet franc, as the old franc vines were removed after 2000. But Engerer noted that Latour planted 1.5 hectares of petit verdot, which can be expected to represent up to 4% of the blend by 2004. - Stephen Tanzer, Vinous Media

Very dark crimson with a developed rim. Healthy colour. Tight, intense, deeply focussed and confident. Slips over the front palate like a velvet glove – very opulent and extremely ripe – much more sophisticated than most. There’s so much ripeness here – as though Latour picked latest of all – almost spicy, almost in stereotype Mouton idiom, presumably thanks to the vintage rather than any change of policy or style at Latour. Great wine.-Jancis Robinson