Château Latour à Pomerol 2019

Latour à Pomerol, which draws its name from the tower that adorns this charming château, was acquired by Mme Loubat, who also owned Château Petrus, in 1917. Etablissements Jean-Pierre Moueix has farmed the vineyard since 1962. The vineyard is characterised by the diversity of its soils, which brings complexity and harmony to the wine: gravel and clay for a marvellous parcel next to the church of Pomerol; loam surrounding the château. The vineyard receives the same care applied to all the J.P. Moueix properties: leaf-thinning and green-harvesting to allow for optimal grape maturity followed by a manual harvest. The wine ferments in concrete vats before being aged in oak barrels. Château Latour à Pomerol is known for producing generous, concentrated wines that strike a perfect balance between elegance and power.

After a mild winter, spring alternated between sun and rain. Narrowly escaping a frost on April 13th, it was the rain in early June that first influenced the vintage. Indeed, the flowering suffered as a result and Merlot grapes counted an average of just 120 berries (instead of 200 usually). Confirming global warming trends, the summer was exceptionally sunny and warm, just missing the historic record for hours of sunshine set in 2018. On the gravel plateau of Pomerol, hydric stress set in as early as mid-July. Happily, we received gentle, favorable rain on July 26th (1.4 inches) that set off a quick and even veraison. This moment marked the qualitative turn of the vintage. At the end of August, Merlot grapes weighed 1.2 grams on average (instead of 1.5 grams in a normal vintage), heralding exceptional concentration but low yields: -20% in Pomerol. Graced by fine weather, we harvested optimally ripe grapes from September 18th until the 24th.

“This has a really tightly wound ball of fine tannins. Tight, so formed and intense. Really great. Blackberries, black truffles, dark mushrooms and dried flowers. Chewy, yet so integrated and refined. Super wine from here. Try after 2026.” - 97 Points, James Suckling

“Wonderfully evocative nose, rich and vibrant, floral and perfumed alongside red fruits with a tiny touch of wood spice. Rich but dark and cooling, a brooding and bewitching style with liquorice-laced fruit and firm tannins. Serious, mouth filling, concentrated and rich but well delivered. There is a clarity to the fruit but this is all muscle and sinew at the moment. Lovely but tight and tense, so focussed with a hint of crushed stone and mint on the finish. A characterful style.” - 95 Points, Decanter

"The high point in the Mouieux portfolio this year is the 2019 Latour à Pomerol, a terrific wine that wafts from the glass with aromas of cherries, sweet berries, rose petals, cigar wrapper and loamy soil. Full-bodied, ample and concentrated, it's seamless and layered, with lively acids, powdery tannins and a vibrant, beautifully balanced profile.” - 94 Points, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate 

Producer: Château Latour à Pomerol

Country: France

Region: Bordeaux

Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc

Appellation: Pomerol

Vintage: 2019

Size: 750ml