2012 Chateau Latour - Angry Wine Merchant 2012 Chateau Latour - Angry Wine Merchant 2012 Chateau Latour - Angry Wine Merchant 2012 Chateau Latour - Angry Wine Merchant 2012 Chateau Latour - Angry Wine Merchant
2012 Chateau Latour - Angry Wine Merchant
2012 Chateau Latour - Angry Wine Merchant
2012 Chateau Latour - Angry Wine Merchant
2012 Chateau Latour - Angry Wine Merchant
2012 Chateau Latour - Angry Wine Merchant

2012 Chateau Latour

Grand Vin

Cabernet Sauvignon - Merlot

France / Bordeaux / Medoc / AOC Pauillac

$745
RP 96
V 96
Size:
Quantity:

Availability: 2

GRAND CRU CLASSÉS EN 1855, Premier Cru

2012 Chateau Latour, Pauillac, France

The colour is dark with a beautiful intensity.The nose is fruity, refined, ripe and extremely expressive. On the palate, the wine is rounded and smooth, spicy and very aromatic. It evolves pleasurably towards a delicious finale with fine tannins.

VINEYARD & HARVEST

Weather Conditions

2012 was rather a late year, marked by spring rainfalls and followed by an extended dry period towards the end of the season. There was substantially less rain than usual during the five winter months and the temperatures were mild except for the extremely cold first half of February. Budbreak was noted on April 3rd, which was otherwise a particularly wet month. A rainy and mild June encouraged the propagation of diseases throughout the vineyard. Fortunately, in July and onwards into August, the weather became very dry and the mid-veraison was noted on August 14th. These dry and moderately hot weather conditions ensured a slow ripening which was beneficial for acidity levels. However, it was noticeable on some plots susceptible to hydric stress that the vine had suffered from the heat.

The harvests took place from September 24th to October 16th under heavy rain, resulting in a high localised risk of botrytis on the Merlot. Nevertheless, the vintage remained in excellent health.

RP 96

Robert Parker Wine Advocate

(Rating 96+) The 2012 Latour is a blend of 90.2% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9.6% Merlot and 0.2% Petit Verdot. Medium to deep garnet colored, the nose slowly, measuredly emerges with notions of preserved Morello cherries, baked blackcurrants and blackberry compote, giving way to nuances of pencil shavings, unsmoked cigars, Chinese five spice and sandalwood plus ever so subtle hints of cardamom and eucalyptus. Medium-bodied, the palate delivers mouth-coating black and red fruit preserves with a firm, grainy-textured frame and fantastic freshness, finishing with a veritable firework display of lingering spices and minerals. This is a more restrained, relatively elegant vintage of Latour that may not have that “iron fist in a velvet glove” power of the greatest vintages but nonetheless struts its superior terroir and behind-the-scenes savoir faire with impressive panache. It is drinking nicely now with suitably rounded-off, approachable tannins, and the tertiary characters are just beginning to bring some more cerebral elements into the compote of temptingly primary black fruits. But, if you’re looking to drink it in full, flamboyant swing, give it another 5-10 years in bottle and drink it over the next 20-25 years+. Reviewed by Lisa Perrotti-Brown. Issue date: March 5, 2020. Drinking window: 2020-2050.
V 96

Vinous

The 2012 Latour has a potent bouquet of blackberry, graphite and distinctive tertiary notes [instead of more marine scents observed four years earlier]. Initially, the palate is slightly disjointed on the entry and displays a subtle herbal quality, plus hints of pencil shavings. The 2012 demands a few minutes to really coalesce and achieve the precision and pixelation that have been the hallmark of this Grand Vin in its youth. Layers of black fruit coat the mouth, and a bitter edge lends tension, particularly toward the very persistent finish. Though its release implies, and the rhetoric from the château indicates, that it is ready to drink, if you want my advice, cellar the 2012 for another five or six years to witness it in full flight. It has always been a candidate for wine of the vintage... just have a bit of patience. Reviewed by Neal Martin, April 2020. Drinking window: 2027 - 2055.

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PACKAGING: Our premium wines need optimal temperature consistency, therefore are packaged in EPS foam shippers with gel pack (when needed) and shipped only during ideal weather temperatures.

For OWC (Original Wooden Case) orders, wine bottles will be removed from case and shipped inside a foam shipper box for safety (unless otherwise requested). The wooden case will be shipped separately at Ground service. If faster service is necessary please contact us.

WEATHER HOLD: In adverse temperature conditions, we reserve the right to withhold shipment until ideal temperatures return unless we receive explicit instructions via email to release the wines, voiding any guarantee. We will contact you if a hold is necessary.

FULFILLMENT: Shipments are via UPS.

  • Orders received Monday - Thursday before 2:00 p.m. will typically ship the same day.
  • Orders received Thursday 2:00 p.m. ~ Sunday will ship on Monday.

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Adult Signature: By law, all shipments of alcohol must be received and authorized by an adult. Our delivery carriers will not release packages without an adult signature and additional charges may be incurred if the package requires withholding or redirection.

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We ship within the United States to: Alabama (AL), Alaska (AK), Arizona (AZ), Arkansas (AR), California (CA), Colorado (CO), Connecticut (CT), Delaware (DE), Florida (FL), Georgia (GA), Hawaii (HI), Idaho (ID), Illinois (IL), Indiana (IN), Iowa (IA), Kansas (KS), Kentucky (KY), Louisiana (LA), Maine (ME), Maryland (MD), Massachusetts (MA), Michigan (MI), Minnesota (MN), Mississippi (MS), Missouri (MO), Montana (MT), Nebraska (NE), Nevada (NV), New Hampshire (NH), New Jersey (NJ), New Mexico (NM), New York (NY), North Carolina (NC), Ohio (OH), Oklahoma (OK), Oregon (OR), Pennsylvania (PA), Rhode Island (RI), South Carolina (SC), South Dakota (SD), Tennessee (TN), Texas (TX), Vermont (VT), Virginia (VA), Washington (WA), West Virginia (WV), Wisconsin (WI), and Wyoming (WY).

  • CRITICAL REVIEWS
  • WINEMAKER NOTES
RP 96

Robert Parker Wine Advocate

(Rating 96+) The 2012 Latour is a blend of 90.2% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9.6% Merlot and 0.2% Petit Verdot. Medium to deep garnet colored, the nose slowly, measuredly emerges with notions of preserved Morello cherries, baked blackcurrants and blackberry compote, giving way to nuances of pencil shavings, unsmoked cigars, Chinese five spice and sandalwood plus ever so subtle hints of cardamom and eucalyptus. Medium-bodied, the palate delivers mouth-coating black and red fruit preserves with a firm, grainy-textured frame and fantastic freshness, finishing with a veritable firework display of lingering spices and minerals. This is a more restrained, relatively elegant vintage of Latour that may not have that “iron fist in a velvet glove” power of the greatest vintages but nonetheless struts its superior terroir and behind-the-scenes savoir faire with impressive panache. It is drinking nicely now with suitably rounded-off, approachable tannins, and the tertiary characters are just beginning to bring some more cerebral elements into the compote of temptingly primary black fruits. But, if you’re looking to drink it in full, flamboyant swing, give it another 5-10 years in bottle and drink it over the next 20-25 years+. Reviewed by Lisa Perrotti-Brown. Issue date: March 5, 2020. Drinking window: 2020-2050.
V 96

Vinous

The 2012 Latour has a potent bouquet of blackberry, graphite and distinctive tertiary notes [instead of more marine scents observed four years earlier]. Initially, the palate is slightly disjointed on the entry and displays a subtle herbal quality, plus hints of pencil shavings. The 2012 demands a few minutes to really coalesce and achieve the precision and pixelation that have been the hallmark of this Grand Vin in its youth. Layers of black fruit coat the mouth, and a bitter edge lends tension, particularly toward the very persistent finish. Though its release implies, and the rhetoric from the château indicates, that it is ready to drink, if you want my advice, cellar the 2012 for another five or six years to witness it in full flight. It has always been a candidate for wine of the vintage... just have a bit of patience. Reviewed by Neal Martin, April 2020. Drinking window: 2027 - 2055.

2012 Chateau Latour, Pauillac, France

The colour is dark with a beautiful intensity.The nose is fruity, refined, ripe and extremely expressive. On the palate, the wine is rounded and smooth, spicy and very aromatic. It evolves pleasurably towards a delicious finale with fine tannins.

VINEYARD & HARVEST

Weather Conditions

2012 was rather a late year, marked by spring rainfalls and followed by an extended dry period towards the end of the season. There was substantially less rain than usual during the five winter months and the temperatures were mild except for the extremely cold first half of February. Budbreak was noted on April 3rd, which was otherwise a particularly wet month. A rainy and mild June encouraged the propagation of diseases throughout the vineyard. Fortunately, in July and onwards into August, the weather became very dry and the mid-veraison was noted on August 14th. These dry and moderately hot weather conditions ensured a slow ripening which was beneficial for acidity levels. However, it was noticeable on some plots susceptible to hydric stress that the vine had suffered from the heat.

The harvests took place from September 24th to October 16th under heavy rain, resulting in a high localised risk of botrytis on the Merlot. Nevertheless, the vintage remained in excellent health.

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