Forts de Latour (BIO-ORGANIC) - Pauillac 2018

Jeb DUNNUCK

95

byJeb Dunnuckthe5/20/2024

A fruit bomb of a wine, the 2018 Les Forts De Latour is just about overflowing with sweet cassis and darker currant-like fruit, as well as complex notes of smoked tobacco, flowery incense, and spice. This plush, full-bodied, sexy effort has sweet tannins, a layered, opulent mouthfeel, and a great finish. This sensational effort is based on 65.6% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, and just a splash of Petit Verdot, and it's as good as most châteaux's Grand Vin. Drink bottles any time over the coming 2+ decades.

Wine Advocate

92

byWilliam Kelleythe4/26/2024

The just-released 2018 Les Forts de Latour wafts from the glass with aromas of creamy berries, licorice, red fruit compote, cigar wrapper and toasty new oak, followed by a medium to full-bodied, youthfully chewy palate with a sweet core of fruit that can't quite conceal its underlying tannic payload. Like many 2018s, its youthful flesh is receding to reveal structure that will demand some patience to resolve.

Vinous

94

byAntonio Gallonithe4/2/2024

The 2018 Les Forts de Latour is surprisingly approachable. It boasts serious concentration because of the warm dry summer and ensuing low yields, yet the intensity of the fruit pretty much covers the tannins, quite unusual for young Forts de Latour. Dark-

The Wine Independent

95

byLisa Perrotti-Brownthe3/14/2024

A blend of 65.6% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, and 0.4% Petit Verdot, Les Forts de Latour 2018 has a deep garnet-purple color. It storms out of the glass with powerful scents of blackberry pie, boysenberry preserves, and crème de cassis, melding into a background of sandalwood, Indian spices, dusty soil, and licorice, with a hint of dried flowers. The medium to full-bodied palate is powerful and seductive, delivering firm, grainy tannins and seamless freshness to frame the generous flavors of black fruit preserves, finishing long and opulent.

Vinous

94

byAntonio Gallonithe2/20/2024

The 2018 Les Forts de Latour is surprisingly approachable. It boasts serious concentration because of the warm dry summer and ensuing low yields, yet the intensity of the fruit pretty much covers the tannins, quite unusual for young Forts de Latour. Dark-toned fruit, gravel, incense, licorice and scorched earth add to the wine's distinctive sepia-toned personality. The 2018 turned out beautifully.

Wine Advocate

94

byLisa Perrotti-Brownthe3/31/2021

The 2018 Les Forts de Latour is made up of 65.6% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot and 0.4% Petit Verdot, with 14.2% alcohol and an IPT (total polyphenol index) of 77. It was aged in 60% new oak. Deep garnet-purple in color, it needs a fair bit of swirling to reveal notions of baked black cherries, cassis and blackberry pie with hints of pencil lead, clove oil, cardamom and allspice with a waft of violets. Medium to full-bodied, the palate delivers impressive density with velvety tannins and a lively backbone supporting the generous black fruits, finishing long with all the earthy nuances coming through at the very end. 94+

Wine Spectator

94

byJames Molesworththe2/1/2021

This is a gorgeous combination of cashmere and graphite, with racy edged cassis and blackberry fruit supported from underneath while light violet, anise and black tea details add range through the finish. A sleek and refined Pauillac that is hard to resist, but will easily handle cellaring. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Best from 2022 through 2035. –JM

Decanter.com

92

byJane Ansonthe2/1/2021

WeinWisser

18,5

byTjark Witzgallthe5/7/2019

Vinous

92-95

byAntonio Gallonithe5/1/2019

The 2018 Latour à Pomerol is fabulous. Rich, dense and explosive, the 2018 possesses off the charts richness to match its decidedly exotic, opulent personality. Ripeness is pushed to the edge, and yet the 2018 retains striking balance. Inky red fruit, cherry jam and sweet spice notes add to the wine's decidedly flamboyant personality. In a word: Superb.

Vinifera

92-94

byJacques Perrinthe5/1/2019

Nez crémeux qui s'ouvre sur un éventail aromatique d'une réelle distinction. corps avec un filigrane très fin, dynamique. Rien de caressant ou de suave trop démonstratif. il est articulé avec précision et sa finale ne manque pas d'énergie.

The Wine Cellar Insider

93-95

byJeff Levethe4/23/2019

With depth of color, this wine is loaded with layers of sweet, ripe, lush, intense, pure black currants and just a hint of citrus and cocoa. You'll also find tobacco and fresh, red pit fruits. The wine offers intensity, length and purity with a dark chocolate tone that pairs perfectly with the wave of rich fruits. If a reclassification ever took place, this would be clearly be included. The wine was produced from blending 65.6% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot and .04% Petit Verdot.

Wine Advocate

93-95

byLisa Perrotti-Brownthe4/23/2019

The 2018 Les Forts de Latour is made up of 65.6% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot and 0.4% Petit Verdot, with 14.2% alcohol and an IPT (total polyphenol index) of 77. Deep purple-black in color, it needs a fair bit of coaxing to reveal slowly emerging notes of wild blueberries, crème de cassis, candied violets, cinnamon stick and fragrant soil with nuances of black tea, yeast extract and pencil shavings. Full-bodied, rich and densely packed with layer upon layer of earth and floral accents, it is framed by very firm, very ripe, fine-grained tannins, finishing with a very long, very purely fruited finish.

Wine Enthusiast

93-95

byRoger Vossthe4/17/2019

This second wine from Château Latour is impressive in a juicy black fruit flavor and firm tannins. It is opulence in feel yet well structured. It will age well.

Jamessuckling.com

94-95

byJames Sucklingthe4/12/2019

A solid and steely red with lots of blackcurrant and blueberry character. Medium-to full-bodied and polished, fine tannins. Flavorful finish.

Jean-Marc QUARIN

95

byJean-Marc Quarinthe4/8/2019