Latour Pauillac 1er Cru 2012

Category:
 
Red Wines
Sub-Category:  
 
Red Wines
Producer:
 
Latour
Label Name:
 
Pauillac 1er Cru
Vintage:
 
2012
Country:
 
France
Region:
 
Pauillac, Bordeaux
Volume:
 
750ml
ABV:
 
12.8%
Grape(s):
 
Cabernet Sauvignon (90.2%), Merlot (9.6%), Petit Verdot (0.2%)
Acidity:
 
4
Tannins:
 
4
Sweetness:
 
1
Body:
 
5
Length:
 
5
Aroma Intensity:
 
4
Best Temperature:
 
16-18°C

Awards/Ratings
Lisa Perrotti‑Brown (The Wine Advocate) 96+/100; Neal Martin (Vinous) 96–97/100; Decanter 97/100; Jancis Robinson 17. 5–18/20; James Suckling ~94/100. Widely praised and considered ageworthy (drink 2024–2045+ depending on cellar)

Tasting Note
Blackcurrant, blackberry compote and baked plum with graphite, pencil shavings, cedar and cigar-box spice. Medium-bodied, firm grainy tannins, bright acidity and a long mineral-tinged finish.

Food Pairing
Western: roast lamb, ribeye/prime steak, beef Wellington, braised short ribs, aged hard cheeses. Asian: Peking duck, char siu, Korean BBQ beef, Sichuan braised beef, miso-glazed black cod or rich yakitori.

Production Method
Hand-harvested, parcel vinification; fermentation in temperature-controlled vats; élevage ~16–20 months in French oak barrels (significant portion new); traditional Bordeaux blending and bottling.

Vineyard Info
Château Latour, an 1855 First Growth in Pauillac owned by François Pinault, farms roughly 78 hectares (core 47-hectare L'Enclos). Renowned for Cabernet-led, long-lived Grand Vin.