Cellar Favorite: Château
Latour 2026 New Releases

BY ANTONIO GALLONI | FEBRUARY 23, 2026

There’s a lot to like in the 2026 releases from Château
Latour. The 2021 Pauillac has developed beautifully since I last tasted it,
making me very curious about the other wines from this very challenging growing
season. Forts de Latour is very fine in 2020, while Grand Vin is pure
sensuality in 2019. I tasted the wines with Estate Director Hélène Génin during
a visit to the château in December 2025.<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1771859927474-CF_Feb232026.jpg">This is the best showing yet for Latour's 2021 Pauillac. Intensely perfumed, the 2021 has gained weight and body since I last tasted it. Crushed flowers, black pepper, leather and dried herbs are just starting to open in the bouquet. Dark and rather virile, the Pauillac is super expressive today. The elevated presence of Cabernet Sauvignon comes through loud and clear. Brisk acids and beams of supporting tannin are also quite prominent, largely because the 2021 doesn't have the mid-palate richness of more opulent years.The 2020 Les Forts de Latour is superb. Hints of gravel, dried herbs, game and licorice weave through a core of dark red/purplish fruit. Spice, cedar and sweet pipe tobacco follow. The purity of the flavors is just striking. Initially a touch reticent, the 2020 fleshes out beautifully with a bit of air. I would give this at least another year or two in bottle. A magnificent Forts de Latour.The 2019 Latour is every bit as impressive as it has always been. Silky and caressing on the palate, with exceptional balance, the 2019 has so much going on. Dark red fruit, new leather, spice and a kick of blood orange are some of the notes that build in the glass, but ultimately the 2019 impresses most with its textural finesse. There was a bit of rain during harvest, but that does not appear to have been much of an issue. The 2019 is a quintessentially modern Latour, a wine that deftly marries power with elegance. Yields came in at 45 hectoliters per hectare, quite a bit higher than the long-term average of 34 hectoliters per hectare.© 2026, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or redistributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism.<div></div>

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