Almost 8 years after the release of the other first Bordeaux First Growths, in the much-heralded 2016 vintage ... we will FINALLY see the release on Monday 17th March of Chateau Latour 2016. Latour ripped up the rule book when it pulled out of the Bordeaux En Primeur system in 2012. This the first-time bottles have left their cellars for commercial release.
What beats 100 points?
No major critic has scored a wine more than 100/100 yet. But Latour 2016 has an unbelievable 8 x 100 points at least, from international wine reviewers. Including:
Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux
Neal Martin, Vinous
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider
Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Independent
Jeb Dunnuck, Jeb Dunnuck
Peter Moser, Falstaff
Georgina Hindle, Decanter
With potential for more with 98-100 pts Roger Voss, Wine Enthusiast (only a barrel tasting), this is probably the highest average scoring wine I have ever seen. Scores aren't everything and there is an increasing push away from them in some wine circles. But the consistency here is hard to ignore.
There were a few omissions from the list of perfect praise. Amusingly for some, James Suckling who on average gives the highest scores 'only' gave this 99. But if there is a concern for would be collectors, it is Wine Advocate's William Kelley awarding '96+?' A brave outlier? Bad luck/ bottle variation? Or a bad day in the office? The question mark hints that he might be open to rescoring in future. Only time will tell.
There is a great quote from Neal Martin, Vinous:
"This is everything you could really wish for in a Latour. The 2016 can be uttered in the same breath as the 1900, 1924, 1959, 1961, 1982 and 2010. Magnificent."
The consensus does really seem to be that this is one of the best vintages in modern times from one of Bordeaux's top top producers. Wine is subjective, but if you like great Bordeaux this has be to close to the pinnacle of what wine can be.
Pricing
Pricing... the sobering part of the story. New Releases of top fine wines have generally not aligned with expectations for many consumers over the last year+. We have seen back vintage pricing falling on many wines. This has left some wine lovers feeling they have overpaid. Though others celebrate that they are now able to top up their cellars at much more reasonable prices.
Latour have not communicated a Recommended Retail price in advance. But the gossip mill has been whirling. It seems likely they will reduce less volume onto the market than last years 2017 release. We think it's likely that it will release around £ 1,495 - £ 1,650 per 3 bottles Under Bond.
Is that fair value? That would be priced above the 2015 in the market. Though a strong vintage it isn't a candidate for perfection and mythical status in the same way.
That price would put it comfortably below the comparable 2010 vintage, as well as the other legendary vintages that Neal referred to. At this price it will certainly have its fans but predominantly among those that hope to one day drink one of the greatest bottles of Bordeaux. A wine that people will look back jealously through time at, like Mouton Rothschild 1945. Those at buy Bordeaux based on expected value gains might not be as seduced.