Dark ruby color. Decadent aromas of meat, figs and ripe fruit. Full-bodied, with a very good, compacted, fruity structure and a long, long, ripe fruit and earth finish. This is a seriously good bottle. Great value. Love it.--Latour vertical. Best after 2005. –JS

Tasted blind from double magnum at the chateau, it is a long time since I have encountered this off-vintage Latour, which must rank as one of the finest of the vintage. The nose retains a touch of greenness that cannot be ignored; yet there are also attractive aromas of cigar box, graphite and sous-bois. The palate appears to have softened in the last few year and is not as brutish as I recall and there is a lovely spiciness towards the finish. I would not leave it for a long time, but it must rank as one of the finest in this forgettable year.

The 1991 Latour is a supposed "off vintage" that I have not tasted for a decade or more. It has a fully mature nose, though certainly not past its best at 33 years of age, with dark, brambly red fruit, loam and light floral scents that percolate through with time. This is an atypically "gentle" nose for a Latour. The palate is medium-bodied and delicate, with a savory entry, fine acidity and melted tannins. It's less structured than 20 years ago when I last tasted this Latour, yet cohesive with gentle grip on the finish. This is lovely. Tasted at a book event dinner at Noble Rot Broadway. - Neal Martin