2004 Cabernet Sauvignon Georges de Latour

Full red-ruby. Very ripe, inviting scents of currant, plum, graphite, cedar, tobacco and mocha, plus a faintly leafy, peppery quality and a hint of menthol. Very ripe, broad and sweet; fairly full in the mouth but juicy more than velvety. The plum and darker fruit flavors convey an earthy, loamy warmth as well as intriguing menthol, pepper and lavender nuances. Finishes with substantial broad, tongue-furring tannins and excellent length. I find a clearer Rutherford expression here than in the more extreme 2005. (This bottle, by the way, was much fresher than the one that was part of the vertical tasting; I opened this one in early April.) (14.7% alcohol; 3.87 pH; 5.7 g/l acidity; aged for 21 months in 95% French oak, 68% new)

(14.2% alcohol): Full red-ruby. Sexy claret-like aromas of plum, redcurrant, leather and game complicated by mocha, roasted coffee and leather; a lively violet element emerged with aeration. Suave on entry, then supple, ripe, concentrated and quite dry in the middle, with the subdued dark fruit, leather and coffee flavors joined by a minty nuance. Finishes with building granular tannins and noteworthy persistence. Initially rather uncompromising, this distinctly adult-style Cabernet gained in sweetness as it opened in the glass. Still plenty to come.

Balances savoury herbs, cedar and earthy loam with plump, ripe black fruit and cassis. Fine complexity, integrated tannins and a succulent finish. Not at all showy, it earns its mark through finesse and great balance. (LM)