The 2008 Latour has a more bold and concentrated bouquet compared to the Lafite-Rothschild, scents of blackberry, bilberry, iris, cigar humidor and cold wet stone that all surge from the glass. This is beautifully defined. The palate is medium-bodied with firm in tannin, a light marine influence infusing the black fruit, a little spice towards the finish with superb persistency. It is an authorative Latour as usual, one now beginning to enter its stride although naturally it will last for two or three decades with ease. (Tasted at BI Wine & Spirit’s annual 10-Year On tasting.)

– vinous.com, Feb 2018

Quality 964 | Brand 998 | Economics 878 | buzz brand, investment staple
Quality: Predicted life of 15 years, one of the longest drinking windows in its peer group for the 2008 vintage, which averages 10 years Brand: Strong restaurant presence, featuring on 52 of the world's top wine lists, including Napa Wine Bar & Kitchen Economics: #2 most active wine at auction, its top 5 vintages having seen 4,896 75cl equivalent bottles traded in the past year Production: Lower production than its peer group average of 151,058 bottles

- www.wine-lister.com June 2017

An extraordinary wine, the classic 2008 Latour (13.5% natural alcohol) is composed of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot and 1% Cabernet Franc (40% of the production made it into the grand vin). Its dense purple color is followed by hints of espresso roast, cassis, burning embers, truffles and graphite. Rich with full-bodied power, beautiful purity and graciousness allied to a voluminous, savory, broad mouthfeel, this beauty will be drinkable in 4-5 years and will keep for three decades.

Robert Parker (Wine Advocate #194, May 2011)

Composed of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, 0.75% Cabernet Franc and 0.25% Petit Verdot, the 2008 Latour gives a medium to deep garnet color and slips sensuously out of the glass with Chinese five spice, unsmoked cigars, sandalwood and dried roses scents over a core of warm cassis, Black Forest cake, chocolate mint and smoked meats plus a waft of black olives and garrigue. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is well-sustained in the middle with generous black fruits and lovely red fruit sparks, layered with savory nuances and a firm, grainy backbone, finishing with bags of perfume and freshness.

Saturated ruby-red. Subdued but wonderfully pure nose hints at black cherry, graphite, tobacco, licorice, black olive and crushed stone. Lush, sweet and deep, with terrific energy and early sex appeal to the dark berry, spice and vanilla flavors. The sweetness builds on the very long aftertaste, where the solid tannins are in perfect harmony with the wine's fruit. Leaves a black cherry perfume in the retronasal passage. Likely to be one of the vintage's longest-lived examples.

This is dense and muscular, but balanced, with the flesh to offset the sinew, as pure mulled black currant, melted fig and crushed plum fruit is caressed by substantial but fine-grained structure. The long, iron- and tobacco-filled finish has excellent focus and drive. This could rival LLC for longest-lived wine of the vintage. JM

(94% cabernet sauvignon, 5% merlot, and 1% cabernet franc and petit verdot; the selection for the grand vin was just 40% of total production) Opaque ruby-purple. Very intense, pure aromas of blackcurrant, cedar and graphite are complicated by hints of balsamic vinegar and licorice. Enters the mouth quite full, with the middle palate displaying rich flavors of blackcurrant, blackberry syrup and minerals. A beautiful and very precise version of Latour with impeccable balance and deceptive power. The harmonious acids extend the fruit and herbal flavors impressively on the very long, clean finish. This year's high proportion of cabernet sauvignon is a record for Latour (though '07 and '06 were nearly as high). Estate manager Frederic Engerer told me that he and his team tasted the various single-parcel lots over and over, and even though they felt the quality of some of the old-vine merlot was excellent, they didn't like the way it jelled with the cabernet sauvignon, and thus the merlot went into Les Forts de Latour. Along with Leoville-Las Cases and Haut Brion, Latour is an early candidate for wine of the vintage, and one of the three best wines of the Left Bank in '08.

The 2008 Latour is dark, brooding and virile, with huge tannins that convey an impression of gravitas. Grilled herbs, leather, sweet pipe tobacco, iron and cedar add to the wine's distinctive aromatic complexity. There is plenty of density and richness, but the color and slightly advanced flavor profile are a bit out of character. Ideally, at this stage Latour should exhibit more freshness and vibrancy. Of course, it is possible the 2008 might remain at this plateau for many years to come. Time will tell. The blend is 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot and drops of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.

Tasted blind. Hint of swampiness on nose. Thick, sweet and quite dramatic. Very dense. Lots of life here. JR

Liquorice, tar, plum, cassis and rich, dark chocolate too. Mouth-coating tannic texture, refreshed by bright acid. Savoury but not austere, and really lingers on the palate. Has all the grandeur you'd hope for. (RH)