The 1991 Latour is a supposed "off vintage" that I have not tasted for a decade or more. It has a fully mature nose, though certainly not past its best at 33 years of age, with dark, brambly red fruit, loam and light floral scents that percolate through with time. This is an atypically "gentle" nose for a Latour. The palate is medium-bodied and delicate, with a savory entry, fine acidity and melted tannins. It's less structured than 20 years ago when I last tasted this Latour, yet cohesive with gentle grip on the finish. This is lovely. Tasted at a book event dinner at Noble Rot Broadway.

After Latour's exquisite performance in 1990, the 1991 is somewhat of a let-down. Nevertheless, it is a candidate for the wine of the vintage because of its concentration and class. After a strict selection, only 11,500 cases were made. The wine offers a dense, dark ruby color, and a reticent but promising bouquet of black-cherries, cassis, minerals, roasted nuts, spices, and subtle herbs. Medium-bodied, with excellent richness, fine glycerin, and aggressive tannin, this ripe, muscular, beefy 1991 needs 5-6 years to shed its tannin; it should last for 15 or more.