CHATEAU LATOUR: Tasting the Iconic 1st-Growth 1855 Bordeaux Classification Wine

[@DD-qj3ll]

They don't always make the best Pauillac of the vintage, but they certainly make the best one in poor vintages. And I wouldn't trust any of them with "ready-to-drink" messaging...Great video, thanks

[@tommyppq2314]

The first bottle of Latour I ever drank was the 1955 back in the 1980's. It was absolutely beautiful even though 1955 was only considered as a good vintage. It taught me what a great wine like Latour can taste like when aged.

[@Alix777.]

An epic episode for an epic wine ! Enjoyed it a lot 💯

[@NoSediment]

Thank You, very sweet of You. 🙏🏻

[@rnjbond]

I'm glad you got to try this on camera! I have a bottle of Latour in my cellar and this video is making it hard to not open it now!

[@NoSediment]

Hahaha, yes, lately a lot of wines I open on camera. 🤓

[@nichotime]

Ooh Lordie! Yes the development is the most amazing thing about Latour, 1 hour or 70 years!! 1 more OOOH!! Thank you so much!

[@NoSediment]

Thank You for Your comment, and I actually have a bottle of d’issan at home already. There is only one issue, I have never visited the estate. 🤨

[@markusbjrno8628]

Duhart-Milon 2009. One of the best wines I have had, and it has such a classic Bordeaux style.

[@NoSediment]

Thank You for the suggestion. 🙏🏻

[@briant3404]

always i am amazed at how much i learn, how much you give.. i think you have the best wine channel

[@NoSediment]

Thank You, thank You. 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻 Very sweet of You. 🍷

[@migue1724]

Wow, I'm super excited about this project of discovering each of the wines from the 1855 classification. I'll be super attentive to each video 😃. The only thing missing was giving it your score.

[@NoSediment]

Thank You. 🙏🏻 I felt uncomfortable giving the score to this wine. 😅

[@chemepharmd76]

What a treat to try this! Enjoyed the history behind the wine. Looking forward to more great Bordeaux videos!

[@NoSediment]

Thank You! Hopefully I will not let You disappoint. 😅

[@maximusdecimus4017]

I have had the pleasure and great privilege of tasting all the 5 premier cru’s and this was at the time my favourite of the five 😊

[@NoSediment]

True, I look at some of them and wonder .. when shall I be able to afford them. Tasting wine on camera is a great motivation. 😇

[@Beeandbarrel]

Solid wine Channel. Great passion. I sourced a 1970 while in France recently… likely way past prime (will let you know) but needed this video to understand the story.

[@NoSediment]

This was the very first vintage of grand vin I tasted ~17 years ago, back then it was lovely matured and still powerful. I have no idea how it would perform now. Please let me know, and I hope You will enjoy it. After all, legendary vintage! 🍷

[@DD-qj3ll]

if it was well stored, you are guaranteed an experience of a lifetime

[@isabellamacaione7687]

Pontet Canet 2009 and Lynch Bages 2010. Has both side by side. Incredible. I recon they are as good as the Latour

[@NoSediment]

I will keep this in mind, thank You. 🙏🏻 2010 vintage in Bordeaux, in mu books are great. ☺️

[@marloabegglen744]

Pontet-Canet or Cos d‘Estournel or Leoville -Barton please 😍

[@NoSediment]

Noted!

[@mepo90189]

I like the “ooooh, wow”, that is the way to describe a wine. Really. I prefer that to a laundry list of berry and other flavors.

[@NoSediment]

Hahahah, I think each wine will and really should have spark a reaction. Sometimes, all there is - are dry descriptions of berries. 🤷‍♀️

[@grigorhaig]

Talking about Château Latour, I really appreciate their third wine: Pauillac du Château Latour. It’s an amazing, delicious, elegant “fruity” wine. I already tasted six different vintages of this wine.

[@NoSediment]

I agree, however I think I have few issues regarding its price. 😮‍💨

[@oysterman962]

Very interesting point that you mentioned the title of Grand Vin is awarded to the winemaker, and not the land. Very unusual that terroir is not taken into consideration. It's one serious flaw imho of the Classification system. Because I note that many famously popular growth wine estates have purchased land from their neighboring non-classified estates to expand their yields and increase production. Grand Vin is becoming more of a marketing tool than a true marker of quality. As a purist I would be more compelled to purchase older Grand Vin vintages from pre-expansion era. I have cellared an Haut Brion 1990 and two bottles of d'Yquem. 88 and 89 respectively. The Haut Brion appears to do better than Latour in blinds. Love your channel.❤

[@l.d.t.6327]

The grand cru classification is based on price and prestige at that time, more than anything else so not taking into account terroir. If you value terroir, go to the smaller vineyards. But if you are concerned about 1er cru terroir, I'm pretty sure the expansion of their estates is always in line with what they already have, and doesn't change the taste that much. If neighbouring plots of land hold the same grape varieties and the same age of grapes, on the same type of soil, that is. If not, most wine makers won't immediately mix up these grapes with their originals, e.g. they allow younger vineyards they purchased to mature a bit before adding those to their first wine.

[@oysterman962]

@@l.d.t.6327 The 1855 Classification is redundant in the modern times and doesn't reflect the quality relative to price. With large corporations (fashion houses, oil magnates, insurance firms and banks) taking ownership of many classified and unclassified chateaus & injecting a lot of money into expansion, hiring the same master winemakers, coupled with advancement of vinification technology, changes in laws to allow irrigation, the quality of wines is increasingly getting better. I don't think terroir has much as importance as in the past. It's all generalisation and speculation what you say about their moral standards. When these first growths are producing 25,000+ cases per annum to meet consumer demand, especially to cater for new emerging wealth economies, I guarantee there's a feeding frenzy of corporate sharks. They're even now expanding their operations in US, Argentina, South Africa etc. 1st growth wine is now more a luxury investment item rather than a discerning product for consumption. It's all a smoke and mirrors industry of marketing wizardry. For example, one interesting observation I recently made was that the owners of Chateau Lafleur also make a wine called Grand Village, using mirror image vinification and production process. Moreover the grapes used for Grand Village have been grafted from the Grand Vin. I also note, for the 2021 vintage the ratio of merlo 48% and cabernet franc 52% were exactly the same as the Grand Vin. Furthermore, the crop was harvested at exactly the same time for both. The crucial difference being the terroir and the oak fermentation. That said, the same skill, expertise and experience has equally gone into both wine labels, yet what is astonishing is Lafleur sells for a few thousand and the Grand Village less than $50!

[@l.d.t.6327]

@@oysterman962 Where to start... I said the grand cru classification is based on nothing more than price and prestige at that time and not so much on terroir. I stick with that. I also said that if you value terroir... But you don't seem to value terroir. Next you argue that everything but terroir has professionalized. So aren't you saying that the real difference these days, is exactly in the terroir? You can copy all kinds of production processes, but it won't give the same wine if you start from grapes from a different terroir. I'm not here to defend grand crus. But your statement that 'it's all generalisation and speculation what you say about their moral standards' is something I haven't even suggested! I said they make sure that any expansion of their vineyards won't affect their grand cru. I can give quotes: "Chateau Latour: fruit for the grand vin was decided to come exclusively from the vineyards shown on the plan of the domain from 1759" "Chateau Lafite: For the Grand Vin Château Lafite Rothschild, only vines older than 10 years are used." These are just some examples how they try to guarantee that their 1er crus aren't influenced too much by expansion. That doesn't make them price worthy, nor does it guarantee a good taste, but it shows they care about trying to produce consistent quality. It's not even my personal taste but I say this as you seem to think I am a defender of 1er crus or I don't appreciate other than that (to the contrary...)! All in all, it doesn't even matter if 1er crus expand their vineyards and production, as it could well be that they didn't have a vineyard in 1855 just because it was owned by another person, but it could as well be located in between vineyards already in possession. What matters much much more is the grape variety, the age of the vines, the method (and timing) of picking and selecting the grapes (low yield or high yield), the wine making process ike the fermentation, pressing and actually, imho, the terroir as well. It all starts with the terroir: the soil, the number of vines per hectare,... As you compared 2 wines, one with oak fermentation and different terroir, this can make a big difference in taste. Is it worse? Ofcourse not, and the 1er cru won't ever be worth its price, but there will be a difference.

[@marknelson8724]

@@l.d.t.6327 Seems like all the very pricey Chateau have a second label and sometimes even a third and a fourth. This must be a big help when the Chateau has vines that are too young or a vineyard that is just not quite producing the desired quality. In Pauillac, so much of the land has been purchased over the years by Classified Growth Chateau, that it is difficult to find wine from Chateau that are not classified.

[@jasonlmu]

Could you do the second class estate Chateau Lascomb, it always seems to be a bargain compared to the others, it would be great to have an expert opinion as to if this is justified.

[@NoSediment]

Thank You for the suggestion, I will have this in mind! 🙏🏻

[@grigorhaig]

For a next video, I suggest Château Batailley. It is an excellent red wine Grand Cru Classé en 1855 from Pauillac region too, like Château Latour. I already tasted one bottle of Château Batailley, vintage 2018. The wine was fantastic!

[@NoSediment]

Thank You, I will have to see which of the bottles will arrive first’ 🙌

[@michaelgourlay1746]

Premier, just like your programmes on YT!! Great job again. 🏅

[@NoSediment]

😊😊😊 thank You. 🙏🏻

[@noahcap]

What a big project! Good luck! I'd like to see one of the Super Seconds- especially following Latour. Will it live up?!

[@NoSediment]

Thank You! 🙏🏻

[@dave7mm083]

I kept waiting for your answer to "is it worth the price".... 😅🤔 I would think that it's not 10-20 times better than nice "more common" wine, but that's also relative to a person's disposable income. Nice video!

[@NoSediment]

Hahaha, well, yes. Originally I asked that question, and started to “bla bla blah” many things and got off the topic and didn’t even answer the question. So we cut that out. But in all honesty, I have other Bordeaux labels in my mind, that I would buy case or two, for the same money as one bottle of Chateau Latour bottle. 🤫🤫🤫 but maybe that is only my financial situation talking 😂😂😂

[@dave7mm083]

@@NoSediment You're lucky to buy/try. I couldn't justify $800 for a bottle, so I understand what you're saying. I hope that bottle was very enjoyable for you and yours. 🍷

[@rmelgar9]

Beautiful ! Love the video and your Cup selection too , taste Haut Brion ‘16 next !

[@NoSediment]

Will start saving money’ 😀

[@gavinkoonkw]

wow! and 2015! =) you are right, 2015 is way way too young to be opened now! will keep mine deep deep in the cellar! cheers!

[@NoSediment]

Do that, and let us know how it tastes when You decide to open it, which I am guessing will be in several years. 😃

[@carlcadregari7768]

Absolutely wonderful wine. Thank you. Such a fabulous tasting idea!! And for the next? Either Margaux (2016) or Haut-Brion (2020) since they’re not in Pauillac. 🤩

[@NoSediment]

I might need to look for something more affordable before digging into the big names again’ 😃🍷

[@shingchoyyan]

Wow... that's amazing

[@NoSediment]

Thank You! 🙏🏻

[@rgiamboi]

Drove by Latour today!

[@NoSediment]

Exzzzelent’ 🥂

[@rgiamboi]

@NoSediment tasted Chateau Gruaud Larose at the chateau for the first time ever- the 2012 and 2001 vintages- and was completely blown away! What an experience!

[@t0rnt0pieces]

You should do a comparison of the Leoville chateaus! :)

[@NoSediment]

That is a very good idea! 👍 thank You for the tip! 🍷 Cheers!

[@GistGappie]

If you were to pour this first glass via Coravin, how much longer would you be able to keep it then?

[@NoSediment]

If it would be just one glass, so a lot of wine still left in the bottle (and I would have used the vintage needle) I would be comfortable keeping it up to a month in cool storage or wine fridge. 😇

[@thsucicsucic7344]

1990 haute brion. It will blow your mind. What kind of glas is it that you have? Like it a lot. Cheers

[@NoSediment]

I will start to save money right away’ 😁😁😁 I think this was a Riedel Veritas New World Syrah. 😇

[@thsucicsucic7344]

@@NoSediment 😅…and thanks for your reply. Will buy a few glasses of those. Take care!

[@terryl7749]

There's no such thing as a bad wine. I've had good wine in bad company and bad wine in good company. I guarantee the wine tasted much better in the later.

[@NoSediment]

I think great wine will not taste as good in the bad company, on the same with You on this!

[@DarthJabba504]

Thanks for sharing your impressions! I think a LOT of people would like to know whether these top wines are legitimately superior compared to other very highly rated high end wines? In other words, can we get just as great a wine with other non-first growths if they are similarly reviewed and applauded?

[@NoSediment]

We most certainly can’t 😎

[@DarthJabba504]

@@NoSediment nooooo..... 😢

[@Chriss75017]

My favorite 😍

[@NoSediment]

Cheers! 🍷

[@CashGravel]

The algorithm just gave me your review which I’m very happy about. I wonder why you do not decant that wine and let it rest for a while before tasting. It seems most people would do that specially at that price point personally, I prefer the other side of the river as Cabernet is not my favorite grape, but that’s just me sadly

[@NoSediment]

Thank You, algorithm. And thank You for tuning in and You commenting. I do not decant wines other than for the need of removing sediment, I also made a video on this topic, which for some was considered controversial. 😔 And there is nothing sad in enjoying Merlot or Cabernet Franc based wines, this is the beauty of the wine world - there is room for everyone’s taste.

[@MichaelH-ck4hg]

I’ve only had two first growths. I had a 1967 Chateau Lafite Rothschild in 1987, and a 1978 in 1990, so both long ago. I thought both were great. In the past few years I’ve bought a 2006 Chateau Haut Brion, and a 2017 and 2019 Chateau Mouton Rothschild. I’d like to buy the one that you tasted here and a Chateau Margaux so I’ll be able to have had all five. Just for a small collection. Which of the five first growths is your favorite?

[@NoSediment]

I wish I could answer this question, but unfortunately these are not wines that I taste regularly and have complete knowledge about, so I cannot answer this. I am learning and studying together with You all, as I am making these videos. Currently, I can say that Lafite has left a lasting impression on me, at least those bottles that I have tasted.

[@MichaelH-ck4hg]

I thank you for your response. I’m sure I’ll like all of them, but they will be tried at such distant times from each other that I probably won’t be able to make much of a comparison. They will all be great.

[@jasonhu2219]

Great review 😁.

[@NoSediment]

Thank You’ 🍷🍷🍷

[@jamesleung8679]

Are the prices dropping？I bought a 2017 Latour for just $500！

[@NoSediment]

When did You buy this wine? 🍷

[@jamesleung8679]

@@NoSediment 2 weeks ago in Hong Kong

[@NoSediment]

I just checked their price, and yes, it is lower upon release. 🍷

[@scottbetts67]

WOW! Keep going No Sediment! What is the alcohol content in this case of Latour 2015 ? Some day I can try it myself Many Thanks

[@NoSediment]

If I remember correctly label stated 13.5%, which I was very confused about. 🤷‍♀️ but as I mention in the video, it was non issue on the nose or palate 🙃

[@clementgunther938]

20 years of ageing is probably the minimum for a Latour. I've just drunk a 2005 Pichon-Longueville which was divine, the comparison would be interesting. Cheers.

[@NoSediment]

Hopefully I will be able to compare some of the wines in the future as well, that would be very interesting. However, that means I need to increase the budget of my videos! 🤞🤞🤞

[@niclasaronsson8939]

Really enjoyed this one esp the part when we got the advice. Do not open this one unless You have loads of time to spend with it.

[@NoSediment]

We actually did stop recording, and spent some time with wine at the beginning, as it was really shy. 🙈

[@Colin-o9b]

Château Léoville Barton St.-Julien . Hello it's the big guy from Winnipeg. Agnese please review and taste this one, we have it in Winnipeg! ❤🎉😊

[@Colin-o9b]

Agnese I'm not oaky I'm hokey!😆😆

[@John-ql7ng]

Top wine. And top woman.

[@NoSediment]

Top comment! 😁

[@nichotime]

Chateau D'Issan please

[@marknelson8724]

Montrose seems to be very consistent. Tasting a lot of Bordeaux could really dent your budget.

[@NoSediment]

That is true! 😅

[@000MidnightSun]

I like your hair

[@NoSediment]

Thank You! 🙏🏻 🥹

[@briant3404]

@@NoSediment It keeps changing and always looks great, makes me think of what to do with my boy hair

[@TheBaseCase]

2003 Leoville Barton kicked ass last New Year. Down to four.😢 I didn’t buy any 2015 either. Overhype turned me off.

[@jamesleung8679]

I've never tasted a Bordeaux with no sediment in it😂

[@NoSediment]

I see what You did there! 😁

[@robertfenti3996]

C H E E R S

[@NoSediment]

🍷🍷🍷 Cheers!

[@mickeylee2624]

How about tasting what some of us Muricans call Chateau "Hot Brian" next?🤣😂

[@NoSediment]

I love it! Will start to save money for this one! 🙌

[@marknelson8724]

You mean O'Brian, the Irish Chateau? (Kidding).

[@mickeylee2624]

@@marknelson8724 🤣😂

[@hugosbalder6139]

The question is: Is it worth 800€?

[@NoSediment]

Very good question!

[@l.d.t.6327]

no and never. Any price above 500 euro a bottle doesn't reflect labour / cost but hype / ego / marketing, not to say most prices above 100 euro are influenced by that as well, but could be on the edge of reflecting the labour / cost, especially those with small volumes.

[@QualeQualeson]

These are around 700 EUR here. This is simplistic and a little dumb obviously, but how much would you say you're paying for the label here? Could you get an equal wine, maybe even one that you wouldn't be able to distinguish from this one for say; 100 EUR?

[@nuno.peixoto]

Of course you could get a much cheaper wine with similar quality. Italian wines, Chilean wines, etc, have won in blind tasting contests, which had 1st Growth wines competing. The thing is, you are also paying for the experience of drinking a famous wine which was already known back in 1855.

[@NoSediment]

I think one can get similar quality for much lower price, not necessarily the same style though. And as mentioned already in the answer, we are paying for the experience and name. Also, these wines have a place in the secondary markets, and that also dictates the high price.

[@QualeQualeson]

@@NoSediment Yeah. Well, as long as you can't really reproduce the same experience with another wine it doesn't really matter, which is why the question was a little dumb. But then I am a dumb wine newbie, so it fits 😄Thanks.

[@NoSediment]

@QualeQualeson never say that, please. Not dumb. 🥹

[@QualeQualeson]

@@NoSediment Not to worry, I don't really mean it :) Thanks though.

[@jameskong7704]

Perhaps 😂Petrus

[@NoSediment]

There is one issue, two actually… it is not in the 1855 classification, and the price 😬😬😬

[@rickwezenaar]

ducru!

[@NoSediment]

👍👍👍

[@hatchegg80]

way too young, i think the youngest latour that's drinking now is the 09 les forts de latour, yes it's the second wine but it's on par with most latours in the years before that, agree with you on 2015, 2005 same for me despite both being very highly rated

[@NoSediment]

It was very young, yes. However, according to estate they release their wine when it is ready to be drunk, and who am I to question them. 😁

[@hatchegg80]

Cash flow, let's say it's ready in 20 years, do they really just sit on inventory

[@Ruirspirul]

wait, no rating? 91 for wine, 4 points for aura?😅

[@NoSediment]

Hahaha, I felt very uncomfortable to rate this wine, if I am being completely honest. 🤫

[@Ruirspirul]

@@NoSediment totally understandable, aura seems to be far more powerful than I initially anticipated😁

[@jorrin007]

you need to score your wines...

[@NoSediment]

I usually do, I just felt really uncomfortable scoring this particular wine. 🥹

[@jorrin007]

@@NoSediment I understand, i like your style, keep it up.

[@atamo4323]

Haut Brion

[@NoSediment]

👍👍👍

[@georgecavalry]

OMG drinking a 2015 Latour at this stage is a crime..

[@NoSediment]

Hahah, they released it! 🙌