Wine Spectator Score: 98

Robert Parker Score: 100

Tanzer Score: 97

Region: Bordeaux

Type: Still Wine

Color: Red

Varietal: Blends & Meritage

Vintage: 2003

Size: 750ML

Available: 1

Brand: See more from Chateau Latour

Sku: 60941

Price: $1,599.99

Quantity:   

Product Information:

Wine Spectator Review:
Intense aromas of blackberry, licorice, currant and mineral. Fullbodied, with very wellintegrated tannins and a long, long finish. Very refined and beautiful. Goes on for minutes. This reminds me of the fabulous 1996. But even better. Best after 2012.

Parker Review:
There are only 10,800 cases (rather than the normal 15,000 to 20,000) of the 2003 Latour, a blend of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, and 1% Petit Verdot (13.3% finished alcohol). A prodigious effort, it boasts a saturated purple color as well as a gorgeous perfume of smoke, cedar, creme de cassis, flowers, crushed rocks, and blackberries. Massive and multilayered, with huge richness and low acidity, it is about as unctuous as a young Latour can be. It could be compared to the 1982, but it may be even more pure, at least at this early stage, than that monumental wine. The level of intensity builds prodigiously in the mouth, and the finish lasts nearly a minute. Disarmingly accessible (although analytically the tannin level is high), I suspect it will ultimately shut down, but it was performing impeccably when I tasted it. Anticipated maturity 2010 to 2040.

Tanzer Review:
Redruby. Explosive aromas of plum liqueur, currant, minerals and lead pencil. Huge, lush, sweet and utterly seamless this has the palatecaressing texture of liquid velvet. About as deep as this extreme vintage gets. Finishes with noble, compellingly sweet tannins and great length. This is amazing wine, and only its exotic character prevented me from giving it an even higher score. Interestingly, the IPT here is 65, compared to 67 for the 2005. But this voluminous and powerful wine will be more fun to drink than the 2005 for many years simply due to its sensual appeal, even if the 2005 should ultimately surpass it in verve, minerality and overall aromatic complexity. (Incidentally, Latours third wine, simply called Pauillac, is extremely good in both 2005 and 2003the former vintage showing terrific energy and loads of early personality, and the latter fat, round and exotic, with what Engerer described as a Napa nose.)