The 2015 Les Forts de Latour, a Bordeaux blend from the prestigious Pauillac region of Bordeaux, France, is a wine that has garnered significant acclaim from professional reviewers. Composed predominantly of Cabernet Sauvignon (63%) and Merlot (35.6%), with minor additions of Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, this wine presents a complex and well-rounded profile.
James Suckling awarded it a high score of 95 points, describing the wine as having "aromas of iron, rust and hot stones with currants and dark berries," and praised its "full body, firm and ultra-silky tannins" with a "long and polished finish." He noted its "racy and driven" character, suggesting it would be best enjoyed starting in 2022 (jamessuckling.com, 2/2/2018).
Jeb Dunnuck also provided a favorable review, giving it 94 points. He highlighted the wine's "vivid purple/opaque color" and "fabulous cassis and jammy currant fruits intermixed with lots of cedarwood, leafy herbs, earth, and graphite." Dunnuck described the wine as "medium to full-bodied, concentrated, and nicely structured," with "sweet tannins" and a "great, great finish," suggesting it could be enjoyed immediately or cellared for 20-25 years (jebdunnuck.com, 3/28/2021).
Jeff Leve echoed these sentiments, also awarding the wine 94 points. He noted its "chocolate-coated currants, cigar box, flowers and tobacco leaf" on the nose and praised its "medium/full-bodied, concentrated, firm, fresh, juicy and lively" palate (TheWineCellarInsider.com, 3/18/2021).
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate described the wine as needing "a fair bit of air to unlock a profound, powerhouse nose" and noted its "rich, ripe black fruits" and "beautifully plush tannins." The review emphasized its long-term aging potential, with a recommendation of 20 years or more (Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 3/23/2021).
Vinous reviewers Antonio Galloni and Neal Martin highlighted the wine’s "silky, perfumed and wonderfully nuanced" nature, with "crushed red berry, cedar, tobacco, mint and blood orange" flavors. They described it as "ample and resonant in feel" with "mid-weight structure" (Vinous, 3/1/2021).
Wine Spectator, giving it a score of 91, praised the wine's "very pure and focused" black currant and black cherry fruit flavors, noting its "lovely freshness" and "silky finish" (Wine Spectator, 1/1/2018).
Decanter awarded it 94 points, appreciating its "full array of floral aromatics" and "gorgeous exuberance," along with "touches of truffle, cigar box and an earthy openness" (Decanter, 2/26/2021).
Wine Enthusiast highlighted the wine's "velvet touch" and "smooth, rounded" profile, awarding it 95 points and noting its "rich with some concentration" and "really fruity aftertaste" (Wine Enthusiast, 4/1/2016).
Overall, the 2015 Les Forts de Latour is a highly regarded Bordeaux blend, praised for its complexity, structure, and aging potential, making it a noteworthy choice for collectors and enthusiasts alike.