95 2000 Les Forts de Latour (Pauillac) 10/29/16 ($70)
13% alc
Color: Deep garnet with just a hint of onion skin at the rim. (3.5) Bouquet: Clay, white chalk, wet leaves, black truffles and other forestal nuances complement concentrated cassis fruit. Forceful, yet shows elegance. (3.5) Body: Heavyweight with outstanding fruit and smooth, yet prominent, tannins. Coats mouth very nicely (3.5) Flavor: Parallels bouquet, but not quite as pretty on day one, meets bouquet on day 2. (3.5) Finish: Loads of black peppery tannins with fruit and complexity also lingering, but showed some bitterness on day 1, smooth on day 2. (3.5)
Overall: This is classic Pauillac and really does taste like Chateau Latour, just not quite as concentrated. The clay, white chalk, wet leaves and black truffle nuances are compelling in concert with the concentrated Cabernet cassis. A heavyweight with impressive balance, tannic structure and even elegance. A fantastic second wine. It is peak, but improved significantly on day 2 (95pts) compared to day 1 (93+ pts), suggesting that it could improve in the next few years. (17.5)
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