Les Forts De Latour 2019

Les Forts De Latour 2019 is the second wine of Château Latour, a 750ml Pauillac red bottled at 14.3% ABV. Awarded 97 points by James Suckling, the 2019 vintage represents one of the highest-scoring recent releases for this cuvée, drawing from dedicated parcels adjacent to Latour's famed Enclos and reflecting the estate's organic certification achieved in 2018.

Quick Facts: ABV: 14.3%  |  Origin: Pauillac, Bordeaux, France  |  Vintage: 2019  |  Producer: Château Latour

Production & Heritage

Château Latour, a Premier Grand Cru Classé estate in Pauillac, has produced Les Forts as its second wine since 1966. The 2019 is blended from 65.8% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31.9% Merlot, and 2.3% Petit Verdot, sourced mostly from parcels situated further inland from the estate's iconic Enclos vineyards, near Château Haut-Batailley. The wine was aged in 70% new French oak barrels, and this cuvée accounted for 39% of Latour's total production in the vintage. The estate has been certified organic since 2018, marking a significant commitment to sustainable viticulture for one of Bordeaux's most prestigious properties.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: The nose opens with classic Pauillac scents of cedar, cassis, and plum preserves before unfolding into layers of lavender, cigar ash, Spanish cedar, and dried citrus. Underlying mineral notes of graphite and crushed rocks add complexity and a sense of terroir.

Taste: The entry is concentrated and bright, with deep cassis and blackberry fruit leading into a mid-palate of mocha, sage, and subtle oregano. The structure is medium to full-bodied with ultrafine, linear tannins that carry the wine with muscular precision, balanced by refreshing acidity and sweet red fruit.

Finish: The finish is long and mineral-laced, with lingering tobacco leaf, bay leaf, and fine graphite. Tannins remain polished and seamlessly integrated, leaving a clean, lifted impression that invites another sip.

How to Drink Les Forts De Latour

Serve at 16–18°C in a large Bordeaux glass. Decanting for at least one to two hours will allow the 2019's concentrated tannin structure to open and its aromatic complexity to fully emerge. This wine has considerable aging potential and should drink well through the mid-2040s, though it already rewards patient decanting today. While this is principally a wine for the table, its tannic backbone and dark fruit concentration make it an ideal partner for richly flavored main courses.

Food Pairings

The 2019's combination of cassis intensity, fine tannins, and herbal undertones lends itself to grilled lamb chops with rosemary, braised short ribs with root vegetables, pan-seared duck breast with blackberry jus, or aged Comté and other firm, nutty cheeses. Roasted venison with juniper and sage also mirrors the wine's darker, savory aromatics.

Best For

• Cellaring alongside a First Growth Bordeaux collection for medium- to long-term aging
• Gifting a serious Bordeaux enthusiast a benchmark Pauillac second wine
• Pairing with a special anniversary dinner featuring red meat or game
• Exploring the terroir of Château Latour without the Grand Vin price commitment

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Les Forts De Latour 2019 taste like? It delivers concentrated cassis, blackberry, and mocha flavors framed by ultrafine tannins, with aromatic layers of cedar, lavender, cigar ash, and graphite leading into a long, mineral-driven finish.

How does Les Forts De Latour compare to Château Pichon Longueville? Les Forts De Latour regularly matches top classified growths like Pichon-Longueville Baron and Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande in blind tastings, despite its designation as a second wine. The 2019 Les Forts, at 97 points from James Suckling, scores on par with or above many of Pauillac's classified estates in this vintage.

Is Les Forts De Latour 2019 good for cellaring? Yes — its concentrated structure, fine-grained tannins, and high proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon give it significant aging potential, with most critics suggesting a drinking window extending into the 2040s.

Where is Les Forts De Latour made? Les Forts De Latour is produced at Château Latour in the Pauillac appellation on Bordeaux's Left Bank, with fruit primarily sourced from estate parcels located inland from the Enclos, near Château Haut-Batailley.

What foods pair well with Les Forts De Latour 2019? Grilled lamb chops with herbs complement the wine's cedar and herbal notes; braised short ribs match its rich tannic structure; pan-seared duck breast with berry sauce echoes the dark fruit core; aged hard cheeses like Comté balance the tannins; and roasted venison with juniper mirrors its savory, mineral depth.

What sizes does Les Forts De Latour come in? The standard release is 750ml, though larger formats such as magnums (1.5L) may be available depending on the vintage and market allocation.

Is Les Forts De Latour 2019 worth the price? Les Forts De Latour positions as a premium second wine that consistently performs at classified-growth level, and the 2019's 97-point James Suckling score and 95-point Lisa Perrotti-Brown rating reinforce strong value relative to Château Latour's Grand Vin and comparable top Pauillac estates.

Why Les Forts De Latour 2019?

The 2019 vintage stands as one of the finest recent editions of Les Forts, backed by a 97-point score from James Suckling and 95 points from Lisa Perrotti-Brown at The Wine Independent. It is the product of Château Latour's transition to certified organic viticulture, completed in 2018, and a meticulous selection that allocated just 39% of the vintage's production to this cuvée. With its combination of Pauillac pedigree, concentrated fruit, and muscular yet harmonious structure, the 2019 delivers First Growth DNA at a tier below the Grand Vin — a rare intersection of quality and relative accessibility from one of Bordeaux's most celebrated estates.