The famous vineyard is located near the municipality of Saint-Lambert in the Pauillac area of the Haut-Médoc, Bordeaux). Towards the end of the 14th century, a fortified complex with a fortress tower called La Tour en Saint-Maubert was built near the Gironde estuary to defend it against attacks during the Hundred Years' War. The tower no longer exists, but around 1620 a round tower called La Tour de Saint-Lambert was built on the estate (pictured left). The name of the winery is derived from this, but the old tower is depicted on the label. Viticulture existed here long before, but the history of Château Latour only began in the late 17th century. The Latour estate was "only" part of the large estate of the noble Ségur family. These included the predecessors of the Château Lafite-Rothschild estate (then Château Lafite), with which Château Latour was united until 1760, and Château Mouton-Rothschild (then Château Mouton).
Bordeaux classification 1855
The other estates subsequently passed to other owners, but Château Latour remained in the family until 1963 (descendants were represented in the management until the end of the 20th century). In that year, heirs sold 75% of the shares to British shareholders. The Pearsons Group held the majority. The wine trading company Harvey's of Bristol (Allied-Lyons) held 25%. This group then also took over the Pearsons shares in 1989 for the equivalent of 180 million euros.
The winery was completely renovated. Finally, in 1994, the billionaire François Pinault (*1936) acquired it for a rumoured 680 million francs (130 million euros). Due to its status as a Premier Cru, Château Latour may not be sold to foreigners as a "national treasure"; this means that a buyer must be French. The estate was placed in the elite of the five (then four) best Premier Grand Cru Classé in the 1855 Bordeaux classification. The total estate comprises 93 hectares planted with Cabernet Sauvignon (76%), Merlot (22%) and Petit Verdot (2%). Three red wines or quality classes are produced. These are the Grand Vin, the second wine "Les Forts de Latour" and the third wine "Pauillac de Latour".
Grand Vin
The Grand Vin comes exclusively from the walled centrepiece "L'Enclos" with 47 hectares of vineyards very close to the Gironde estuary. Each vine that is diseased or too old is removed individually and replaced with a young plant. Some of the vines are over 100 years old. The quality and longevity of the red wine is partly due to the unique terroir with gravel on the surface and loamy subsoil. It is matured for 20 to 24 months exclusively in 100% new barriques. This extremely long-lasting wine should ideally not be opened before at least 10 to 15 years of ageing. The extraordinary thing about this red wine is that truly monumental qualities have been produced with great regularity for centuries, even in poorer vintages. Outstanding recent vintages include 1961, dubbed the wine of the century, as well as 1962, 1966, 1967, 1970, 1973, 1975, 1978, 1981, 1982, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1993, 1994, 1996, 2000, 2003 and 2005, which are among the most expensive wines in France and the world.
Second wine
The grapes for the second wine "Les Forts des Latour" come from young vines less than twelve years old from L'Enclos, which are harvested and vinified separately. In addition, grapes from three separate parcels outside of "L'Enclos" are also used, none of which are normally included in the Grand Vin. Furthermore, barrels from the first wine that did not meet the high standards of the Grand Vin may also be added. The wine is blended from an average of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot and aged for 18 months in 50% new oak barrels.
It achieves the quality and price of a Deuxième Grand Cru Classé château. It has also been sold by subscription (en primeur) since 1990. Around 150,000 bottles are produced each year, which corresponds to around a third of total production. The third wine "Pauillac de Latour" was first produced in 1973 and then in 1974 and 1987. Since the 1990 vintage, it has been vinified annually from young vines from the three plots mentioned above.
Picture: Château Latour - © Alain Benoit
