2009 Château Latour à Pomerol

Dark red. Superripe aromas of plum, black raspberry, mocha, herbs and spices. Then dense and backward on the palate, with a restrained sweetness to the rich flavors of bitter cherry and menthol. Some herbal nuances contribute to the wine's serious mien. Finishes with firm tannic spine and late notes of woodsmoke and tobacco. Very young, and a tough read today.

A beautiful wine from the Moueix stable of right bank offerings, the 2009 Latour a Pomerol displays a dense plum/ruby/purple color along with a bouquet of mocha, roasted nuts, wood smoke, truffles and sweet cherries. Full-bodied, round and generous with sweet tannin, considerable power and no hard edges, this is a surprisingly up-front, precocious effort that can be drunk now or cellared for two decades.

Very deep crimson. Rather sumptuous, even ethereal nose. Now we’re getting somewhere with this Moueix range...! Very luscious and complete with real density and substance – and not just sweet and alcoholic. A really good wine. Interest and depths with great but not excessive ripeness and lots of fine tannins. (JR)