The second wine of Château Latour, the 2012 Les Forts de Latour is a smoking good, rich, concentrated effort that most likely wins the battle of the second wines in the vintage. Crème de cassis, graphite, crushed violets, cedar pencil and tobacco notes all flow to a medium to full-bodied 2012 that has rock solid mid-palate depth and a great finish. It doesn’t come cheap but is a beautiful, classic Les Forts de Latour that will drink nicely for another 10-15 years.

The 2012 Les Forts de Latour has a light minty bouquet, more red than black fruit, touches of orange peel and light pencil shaving scents. The palate is medium-bodied with good density, fine tannins, becoming increasingly precise towards the finish, graphite and black pepper lingering on the aftertaste. Wonderful breeding here, a step ahead of other Deuxième Vins. Tasted twice at Bordeaux Index's Ten Year-On tasting and blind at the Southwold Ten-Year On tasting. -- Neal Martin

Great quality, in a sweet spot to drink. Has power and grace, and plenty of raspy slate-strewn tannins to sink into, muscular enough to showcase the powerful soils of Latour. Blueberry and blackcurrant fruits in abundance, violet-edged, succulent rather than intense. No need to rush to drink, not the same persistency as 2010 or 2016, but this is easy to recommend. 43% of overall production.

Composed of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot and 2% Petit Verdot, the 2012 Les Forts de Latour has a medium to deep garnet-purple color and nose of redcurrants, black cherries and kirsch with menthol, cigars and dried herbs. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is soft and vibrant with a lively line and an herbal lift on the finish.- LPB

Superb colour, cassis fruit and the classic graphite grip of top Pauillacs, fragrance, precision and great class. [NB: Tasted en primeur and originally rated as 17.5 points under the 20-point scale used by Decanter at the time]

Admirably rich for the vintage, with solid plum and black currant paste flavors, allied to a decidedly brisk and racy structure and backed by plum pit, iron and singed alder notes through the finish, giving this a rather linear feel overall. Should age well, and will likely always have more cut than breadth. Best from 2017 through 2025. 11,933 cases made. — JM