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Latour 1961

Pauillac, First Growth

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Tasting Notes

Port-like, with an unctuous texture, and a dark garnet color with considerable amber at the edge, the 1961 Latour possesses a viscosity and thickness. One of the three bottles served at the Chateau's tasting revealed a surprisingly aggressive, minty, herbaceous nose, but the other two bottles were liquid perfection, exhibiting fragrant, cedary, truffle, leather, mineral, and sweet, jammy aromatics, full-bodied, voluptuous textures, exquisite purity and concentration, and a layered, highly-nuanced finish that represents the essence of compellingly great wine. The 1961 has been fully mature for over 15 years, but it seems to get richer, holding onto its succulence and fat, and developing more aromatic nuances without losing any sweetness or concentration. An extraordinary wine, it is unquestionably one of the Bordeaux legends of the century! Anticipated maturity: now-2025

Score: 100

Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2000-2025 30 June 2000

I have been fortunate to have this wine on eleven separate occasions, with many of the tastings being held over the last several years. I have had it from both regular bottles and magnum. It has scored a consistent 100 points at every tasting, whether it has been tasted on the other side of the Atlantic or in the United States. The wine is a full-bodied, monumental Pauillac that tastes like syrup of Cabernet. The port-like, unctuous, chewy texture is to die for. The color remains an opaque purple/garnet. The nose offers up celestial quantities of black fruits, truffles, leather, cedar, and minerals. On several occasions, because of the jammy sweetness of the aromatics, I have thought this to be a Petrus (how embarrassing in terms of the different nature of the wines). The 1961 Latour is still gorgeously sweet, rich, and showing absolutely no amber at the edge, or other signs of aging. It is a massive, extraordinary mouthful of Bordeaux that is certainly one of the greatest wines I have ever tasted. Anticipated maturity: Now-2040. Last tasted 6/97

Score: 100

Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 1997-2040 01 January 1998