Château Latour

Château Latour is located in Pauillac in the heart of the Médoc region and is one of the most celebrated Premier Grand Cru Classé in Bordeaux. Its origins are very ancient and the first records of the property date back to the 1300s. Over the centuries, vine cultivation has continued without interruption, and in the 17th century, Nicolas-Alexande de Ségur, nicknamed "Pince des Vignes" by King Louis XV, expanded the estate by acquiring the lands of Mouton and Calon. The quality of the wines is always very high, and as early as 1714 a tonneau of Latour was sold for four or five times the average price of Bordeaux wines, rising to twenty in 1767. In the Classification of 1855 it was recognized as Premier Cru Classée, confirming the very high level of its wines. In 1993 it was purchased by François Pinault. At the instigation of the new ownership, a period of restructuring began, leading to a complete renovation of the winemaking areas and cellars, with further improvement of the wines.

The estate is located some fifty kilometers northwest of Bordeaux, in a particularly suitable area. The proximity of the Gironde estuary and the ocean, influence the climate by mitigating temperatures, averting the danger of spring frosts and allowing the grapes to ripen well. The vines are cultivated on gentle gravel ridges about fifteen meters high, resting on a substrate of deep clays. These are ideal soils for the vines, very draining in the surface layers and capable of retaining water at depth to enable the vines to get through any periods of summer drought without problems. Today, the vineyard covers a total of 92 hectares, 47 of which are located around the Château, the famous "Enclos," which represents the most prestigious area, exclusively devoted to the production of Latour's first wine.

The Château Latour vineyard is planted with Cabernet Sauvignon (76%), Merlot (22%), Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc (2%). In fact, the gravelly soil of this area of the Médoc is particularly suited to Cabernet Sauvignon, which prefers poor, dry, draining soils. Merlot is grown in the lower parts of the Enclos on cooler, shallower soils with a higher percentage of clay. Petit Verdot and Cabernet-Franc make up a small percentage in the blend, however, the former contributes tannic structure and intense spicy notes. The vines are planted with the high planting density and managed with low yields to achieve excellent aromatic concentration.