Forts de Latour - Pauillac 2003

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar

91 / 100

byStephen Tanzerthe6/30/2006

Deep ruby-red. Wonderfully vinous and sappy for the vintage, with aromas of redcurrant, mineral and spice. Sweet, rich, lush and exotic but with good spice character giving lift to the flavors. A very fine-grained wine that will give relatively early pleasure, but it can't match the 2004 or 2005 for backbone. Finishes dry and classic, with plenty of richness.

Wine Advocate

92 / 100

byRobert Parkerthe4/24/2006

The 2003 Les Forts de la Tour possesses a dense ruby/plum/purple color in addition to notions of cold steel, lead pencil shavings, and creme de cassis. Full-bodied, opulent, heady, rich, and lush, it can be drunk now or cellared for 15+ years. What can one say about proprietor Francois Pinault and his manager, Frederic Engerer? A strong argument can be made that in 2001, 2002, 2003, and 2004, Latour produced the wine of the vintage, although it has plenty of competition in the Northern Medoc in 2003. Moreover, the bargains are the estate’s least expensive cuvee, Pauillac, followed by Les Forts de Latour, Latour’s second wine which continues to increase in quality.

Wine Spectator

93 / 100

byJames Sucklingthe3/31/2006

Beautiful aromas of berry, currant and toasted oak. Intense currant character. Full-bodied, with velvety tannins and a long, intense finish. This is very structured and superclean. Excellent stuff. The second wine of Latour. Best after 2011.

Wine Advocate

91-93 / 100

byRobert Parkerthe4/29/2005

A wine of great texture and intensity, extremely fleshy and opulent, this is a real sexpot, and ideal for drinking early on, although it is certainly going to last for 15 or so years. Just a cut below its big brother, the 2003 Les Forts de Latour is wonderfully sweet, succulent, and fleshy with copious fruit, glycerin, and alcohol.

GaultMillau

90-93 / 100

the6/30/2004

Très élégant et frais avec une très belle longueur, les Forts sont une grande réussite dans la lignée de son grand-frère...

Wine Advocate

91-93 / 100

byRobert Parkerthe4/29/2004

A great second wine, the 2003 Les Forts de Latour is a blend of 78% Cabernet Sauvignon and 22% Merlot (36% of the production was utilized). It possesses a pH of 3.8 and is slightly lower in alcohol (12.7%) than its big sister. Revealing tremendous opulence, flesh, and fat, for my taste it is the greatest Forts de Latour produced since the 1982. It should drink well in 3-4 years, and last for 15-20.