Beschreibung:

Château Latour--Vintage 1982
6 magnums per lot
GRAND VIN DE CHÂTEAU LATOUR THE GREAT 1982 VINTAGE IN AN ORIGINAL WOODEN CASE OF MAGNUMS Described by Thomas Jefferson following his first visit to Bordeaux in May 1787, as one of the '4 vineyards of first quality', La Tour de Segur, as it was then known has a very long and distinguished history. It's famous tower and vineyards are in full view - albeit at some distance - from the ships plying the broad Gironde and are close to the small town of Pauillac. It's recent history, but not the quality of the wine, has been a bit chequered, the de Beaumont Family selling in 1962 its majority stake, to Lord Cowdray's family and Harveys of Bristol who considerably later sold to Allied Domecq. It's current proud owner is Mr. Francois Pinault who also, coincidentally, now owns Christie's. Presently, the Estate consists of over 192 acres of vineyards. The 116 acres which surround the Château, the heart of the estate, are called l'Enclos . Only the grapes from these 116 acres make the Grand Vin de Château Latour . This vineyard has a typical Médoc topography, with a gentle rise in the ground, bounded on the north and south by two small streams, and on the east by the "palus", the low lying meadows by the river. But this Enclos benefits from a very unique terroir that combines an optimized sub-soil nutrition for the vines, the Gironde river which tempers extreme weather conditions, and a typical Midoc climate, largely influenced by the Atlantic ocean, which allows the grapes to reach maturation under favourable conditions. This combination, a true gift of Nature, determines the personality and the characteristics of the wine of Château Latour. It also imposes, almost naturally, a selective choice of grape varieties. There is, first of all, a perfect association between the Cabernet Sauvignon and this terroir, as it represents around 80 percent of the total planted. This grape variety manages to take the best out of this poor gravels soil by digging deep to its ressources and water, in the layers of clay underneath. This very selective nutrition will naturally bring concentration, deep colour and tannic structure to the wine. The Merlot can represent as much as 18 percent of the Grand Vin, and plays an important role in regulating and softening the Cabernet Sauvignon. It is planted mainly on the lower parcels of the "Enclos", where the gravels layers are a little less deep, and where the marls and clay layers can be reached more easily by the vines. This will bring roundness and power to the final wine. Two other grape varieties, the Cabernet Franc and the Petit Verdot account for 2 percent of the total planted vineyard, and are in most cases mixed in with the parcels of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Property of a Central Coast Lady Recently removed from a purpose built underground home cellar of impeccable storage conditions Château Latour--Vintage 1982 Pauillac, 1er cru classé Levels: into neck; in pristine condition In original wooden case with original tissue "As I indicated in the review of the 1982 Bordeaux, this is an unusual Latour in the fact that it has always been precocious. It has been jammy, forward, and delicious no matter when the cork was pulled, in total contrast to its two first-growth siblings, Mouton Rothschild and Lafite-Rothschild. The dense, opaque garnet-colored 1982 Latour reveals slight amber at the edge. Sweet, smoky, roasted aromas in the nose combine with jammy levels of black currant, cherry, and prune-like fruit. It possesses extraordinary concentration and unctuosity, with a thick, fat texture oozing notes of cedar wood, tobacco, coffee, and over-ripe fruit. Low acidity as well as high alcohol (for Bordeaux) give the wine even more glycerin and textural chewiness. The finish lasts forever. The only Latour that remotely resembles the 1982 is the 1961, which has a similar texture and succulence. Anticipated maturity: now-2040" Robert Parker Wine Advocate #129 (June 2000) 6 magnums per lot