Château Latour, 1er Cru Classé, Pauillac [Ex Chateau Sept 23], 2011

This could be the last Latour to be offered en primeur, so in a sense it is historic. All the conjecture around Latour's historic announcement will probably overshadow what is an exceptional wine - we wouldn't expect anything less. After all, since Frederic Engerer has been at the helm, Latour has produced an extraordinary string of vintages, regularly topping our list as wine of the vintage. It is a great shame that Messrs Pinault and Engerer are stepping back from a system that has served the Bordeaux Chateaux so well; but money and control talk, and the loyal en primeur buying customer can take a walk... Produced from 84.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot and 0.5% Petit Verdot, the grand vin, and it is very grand accounts for just 34% of the production. At first brooding; deep and elemental, but with coaxing notes of flowers, pencil shavings, sweet earth, camphor and cherries emerge. There is masses of dry extract which coats the mouth and leaves flavours of bright plum, griotte cherry, crème de mûre and dark chocolate; very seductive and deeply intense. This possesses huge concentration, but is never thick or heavy; the structure is beautifully constructed around immense, yet silky, woven tannins. As one expects from a great vineyard like Latour, the finish is complex and echoes the noble flavours found on the palate. There is not the weight of the 2009 or 2010, but this is undeniably a handsome, mightily impressive beast.