Latour 1986

Chateau Latour 1986 is a firm, masculine Pauillac first growth from a structured vintage that has needed decades to soften.

Tasting notes for this wine vary with bottle condition, as is common for a wine now four decades old: some show incredibly rich meat, plum, cassis and tobacco flavours, harmonious, clean and long, while others show dusty, soft red berry fruit with mossy, damp autumn-leaf notes and firm, obdurate tannin. At its best it is dark, structured and long-lived, a classic example of old-school Latour that rewarded patience.

• Producer: Chateau Latour
• Country: France
• Region: Bordeaux
• Appellation: Pauillac
• Vintage: 1986
• Grape: Cabernet Sauvignon-dominant Bordeaux blend, typically with Merlot and Cabernet Franc
• Bottle size: 75cl
• Alcohol: 12.5% ABV
• Style: Full-bodied dry red wine, now fully mature
• Serving temperature: 16-18C
• Decanting: Decant gently 30-45 minutes before serving; check for sediment given its age
• Food pairing: Aged beef, game, mature hard cheeses
• Storage: Store horizontally in a cool, dark place with a stable temperature
• Drinking window: Fully mature; a wine for drinking now