Château Latour 1977

Château Latour 1977

1. Introduction and Status

The Château Latour 1977 is the Grand Vin of the famous Premier Cru Classé estate in Pauillac, Bordeaux. The Château Latour estate looks back on a long history – its name first appears as early as the 14th century, associated with a watchtower at the mouth of the Gironde . The heart of the estate is the ‘Enclos’, a terroir of around 65 hectares, covered in large pebbles and featuring clay-rich soil, which is responsible for the consistent perfection of the wines in every vintage.

The estate’s grape variety breakdown is approximately 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot. The vines in the Enclos are on average 50 years old, with some even approaching a century.

2. The 1977 vintage – A difficult year

The 1977 vintage was, on the whole, extremely challengingfor Bordeaux . Weather conditions throughout the growing season were generally unfavourable: cold, wet spells alternated with dry periods, followed by further rain, before the weather improved somewhat around September and during the harvest.

Budbreak occurred early , around 5 March, which increased the risk of frost damage. Indeed, on the morning of 31 March, a devastating frost struck, causing widespread damage to the Merlot vines in particular. May was also rather cool, which further hampered flowering. The harvest finally began on 25 September.

Château Latour’s official assessment of the vintage is accordingly: ‘Poor year’. The wines were generally thin, short and exhibited a slight green tinge.

3. The Château Latour 1977 in particular

Despite the difficult vintage, Château Latour managed to produce a remarkable wine. The wine was saved by the exceptional terroir and, in particular, its proximity to the Gironde, which mitigated the effects of the extreme weather. The 1977 Latour is considered to be arguably the best wine from an otherwise weak Bordeaux vintage.

Tasting notes

Descriptions of the wine paint a surprisingly positive picture:

• Nose: A ‘smoky cedar nose’ is characteristic. Alongside this, aromas of cigar box, undergrowth, earthy and iron-like notes, as well as withered foliage are described. Some tasters also detect leather and mushrooms, which indicates advanced maturity.

• Palate: The wine is soft and pleasant, with no astringency or harshness. The structure is medium to light but well-rounded, with a good balance of tannin and acidity. The tannins are well-integrated, and the finish is smooth and creamy.

• Overall impression: A moderately concentrated Latour with surprising softness for the vintage. The wine is fully mature and shows no trace of harshness.

Maturity and drinking window

The wine reached its drinking window between 1987 and 2000. It aged rapidly but remained drinkable for a long period. CellarTracker users report that the wine is now “clearly over the hill” (clearly past its peak), but still offers interesting and nuanced aromas – earthy, with leather and mushrooms, without any trace of tannin.

4. Critics’ reviews

Reviews of the 1977 Latour vary:

Robert Parker’s high rating (93–94 points) is remarkable, as it places the wine well above the vintage average. In 1997, Jean-Marc Quarin described the wine as follows: “A wine from another world right now” – an indication that the wine had already reached its full drinking potential back then.

5. The second wine: Les Forts de Latour 1977

In addition to the Grand Vin, Château Latour also produced the second wine, Les Forts de Latour, in the 1977 vintage. This is aged in French barriques (50 per cent new oak barrels). Prices for the second wine are significantly lower – around €140–168 per bottle.

6. Prices and availability

The 1977 Château Latour is now rare and, due to its age and rarity, commands high prices:

Prices vary considerably depending on the fill level (e.g. ‘High Shoulder’, ‘Top Shoulder’, ‘Into Neck’) and the condition of the label and capsule. Lots comprising several bottles are also offered on auction platforms such as Christie’s.

7. Conclusion

The 1977 Château Latour is a fascinating phenomenon in the world of wine: in a Bordeaux vintage generally regarded as weak, this Premier Cru managed to produce a wine that was awarded a remarkable 93 points by critics such as Robert Parker. The wine is now past its peak, but still offers connoisseurs of mature Bordeaux wines an interesting tasting experience with notes of cedar, leather and mushrooms.

For collectors, the 1977 Latour is particularly attractivedue to its rarity and its status as the ‘best wine of a weak vintage’ . It is a vivid example of how an exceptional terroir and meticulous winemaking can produce remarkable results even under the most difficult conditions.

“A moderately concentrated Latour with a bouquet of cedar, very pleasant and soft on the palate – a surprise for the vintage.”