Retail Team | March 9, 2024
One of the five original First Growths of Bordeaux, Château Latour conveys a centuries-old legacy of aristocratic refinement in every release, including the estate’s legendary second wine, Les Forts de Latour.
Like the Pauillac house’s esteemed Grand Vin, Les Forts de Latour is the beneficiary of a systematic program of perfectionism carried out by CEO Frédéric Engerer and technical director Hélène Génin. It mirrors the château’s renowned style – bold, rich, and muscular, drawing its broad power from the rings of blue clay interspersed among the vineyards’ classic quaternary gravel.
Sotheby’s Wine is thrilled to share three consecutive vintages of this iconic Left Bank second wine that display the nuances of each season as well as Latour’s famed consistency through the years.
The name Les Forts de Latour, first used in 1966, references a historic plot and the estate’s history as a garrison fort during the Hundred Years’ War. The wine is composed of grapes from several locations, including the edge of the L’Enclos, the walled 47-hectare vineyard that is the heart of the estate and the source for Latour’s Grand Vin.
While the second wine sees a smaller proportion of new oak during maturation (50%-60%) than the Grand Vin, and contains a higher percentage of Merlot, it is shaped by the same organic and biodynamic farming philosophy and rigor in the cellar.
