1959 Latour a Pomerol

The 1959 Latour-à-Pomerol may not be as exalted as the 1945 or 1947, though my solitary previous experience of an ex-château bottle raised my expectations to a level that surely could only leave me disappointed. Not at all. This bottle, served blind incidentally, replicated that performance. Surprisingly deep in color, it has a telltale bouquet of "degraded opulence" insofar that its youthful richness has been melted by time. Here there are black cherries and kirsch, but they are soon usurped by Christmas cake, licorice and even a touch of bottle polish. The palate is medium-bodied and perhaps a little more masculine that its peers, betraying the rusticity of the time in terms of winemaking. Like the previous bottle, there is a hint of volatility like a 1947 Right Bank, but it retains control and there is that gorgeous finish of desiccated orange peel surfacing towards the extended aftertaste. It was, and still is, a beautifully made Pomerol that I suspect will forever be over-shadowed by the 1961. Tasted March 2015.

Among the 1959s, Latour and two of the three Pomerols, Latour a Pomerol and L'Eglise-Clinet, stole the show. I have previously enjoyed the greatness of the 1959 Latour a Pomerol. Once again this wine exhibited huge, coffee, melted caramel, sweet jammy red and blackcurrant/cherry-scented nose and flavors. Unctuous, thick, and oh, so decadently rich, this blockbuster Pomerol is fully mature, and needs to be drunk up, an enticing proposition for the fortunate few who still possess this wine. ||The notes for this wine are taken from the description of Series VI - Flight A of the 1995 tasting conducted in Munich by Helga and Hardy Rodenstock. Many years after the tasting from which this note derives allegations were made concerning the authenticity of old and rare bottles of wine sold by Hardy Rodenstock to collectors around the world. The matter has been the subject of numerous articles, litigation and at least one book. Mr. Parker believes that the wines served to him at this tasting were authentic so this note and the others from that specific tasting continue to be posted on eRobertParker.com. Wine Advocate.February, 1996

The 1959 Latour-a-Pomerol may not be as exalted as the 1945 or 1947, though my solitary previous experience of an ex-chateau bottle raised my expectations to a level that surely could only leave me disappointed. Not at all. This bottle, served blind incidentally, replicated that performance. Surprisingly deep in color, it has a telltale bouquet of "degraded opulence" insofar that its youthful richness has been melted by time. Here there are black cherries and kirsch, but they are soon usurped by Christmas cake, licorice and even a touch of bottle polish. The palate is medium-bodied and perhaps a little more masculine that its peers, betraying the rusticity of the time in terms of winemaking. Like the previous bottle, there is a hint of volatility like a 1947 Right Bank, but it retains control and there is that gorgeous finish of desiccated orange peel surfacing towards the extended aftertaste. It was, and still is, a beautifully made Pomerol that I suspect will forever be over-shadowed by the 1961. Tasted March 2015. Oct 2016, www.robertparker.com