Château Latour 1981 Bouteille (75cl) ME ELA
Château Latour 1981 is a red wine from Pauillac, classified as a First Growth in 1855, produced by Château Latour in Bordeaux. Its blend consists of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot. Following a cool, rainy July, the return of favorable weather until September 20 allowed the grapes to ripen properly; the harvest took place from September 28 to October 9, amidst rain at the end of the campaign. The estate notes that the proximity of the Gironde estuary limited the effects of the frost. The Wine Advocate awards it 88/100, with a drinking window of 1990–2005; Jancis Robinson rates it 17/20, to be drunk between 2000 and 2020, and Wine Spectator 87/100. Critics describe a velvety yet structured Latour, featuring dark fruits, spices, cedar, tobacco, and firm tannins.
The bottle offered
- Size
- Bottle (75cl)
- Label Condition
- Slightly Damaged
- Fill Level
- Mid Shoulder
- Capsule Condition
- Perfect
Wine details
- Couleur
- Red
- Pays
- France
- Région
- Bordeaux
- Appellation
- Pauillac
- Producteur / Domaine
- Château Latour
- Millésime
- 1981
Cépage et assemblage
- Grape Variety
- 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot
Château Latour
Château Latour is a wine estate in Pauillac, in the Médoc, situated in the immediate vicinity of the Gironde estuary. Classified as a Premier Cru in the 1855 classification, its vineyard covers 96.5 hectares, of which the 47 hectares of the ‘Enclos’ surrounding the château are eligible for inclusion in the Grand Vin. The estate is owned by Artémis, the Pinault family’s holding company.
- Owner
- François Pinault
- Maître de chais
- Pierre-Henri Chabot
- Surface (ha)
- 96.50 ha
- Production (average bottles per vintage)
- environ 300 000 bouteilles/an
Histoire du domaine
The earliest known reference to Latour dates from 1331 and concerns permission to build a fortified tower in the parish of Saint-Maubert. The fortress reappears in 1378 in Jean Froissart’s Chronicles, in the context of the Hundred Years’ War. Until the end of the 17th century, the estate remained in the hands of the de Mullet family. Through marriages and inheritance, it subsequently became the property of Alexandre de Ségur, whose family expanded its wine-growing operations. The vineyard covered 38 hectares in 1759 and 47 hectares in 1794. Château Latour was classified as a Premier Cru in 1855. From 1842 onwards, the descendants of the de Ségur family held the property through a civil company, before British shareholders gradually acquired stakes in the 20th century. Allied Lyons held 93 per cent of the shares in 1989, after which François Pinault acquired this stake in June 1993 through Artémis. Frédéric Engerer, who joined the estate in 1995, became its manager in 1998; a complete renovation of the winemaking and ageing facilities was carried out between 1999 and 2003. The estate ceased selling en primeur after the 2011 vintage and obtained organic certification in 2018. Hélène Génin now runs the estate, whilst Pierre-Henri Chabot is the cellar master.
