Latour 1974

This was the most intact wine of the whole tasting session. Its red color seemed unchanged, except for a tiny garnet nuance on the edge. The aroma was a bit compressed but well-structured with notes of tanned leather and extremely balsamic blackberry jam. The mouthfeel was better, austere and almost gnashing, prospective and engaging. After more than 40 years this wine can still knock you out.

In this mediocre year of rather green, stalky, hollow wines, Latour produced one of the very best wines of the vintage. Still not fully mature, this dark ruby wine has good fruit, a medium body, surprising depth and ripeness for the vintage, and a sinewy, tannic finish. It avoids the telltale harshness and fruit deficiency found in so many 1974’s.