2016 Forts de Latour

拉圖二牌：正統 Pauillac 的力度與優雅，性價比很有感。

【為什麼選它？】
1) 酒莊同樣用心 -> 與旗艦酒同一標準管理田間與酒窖，品質可期待。
2) 木桶掌控得好 -> 18個月陳釀、半數以上新桶帶來支撐但不搶味，香料與木質融為一體。
3) 現喝可享、收藏也安心 -> 單寧結構紮實但已柔化，醒一小時就能打開表現，陳放潛力長。

【侍酒師私房筆記】聞到的是深色漿果、輕微花香、雪松與煙草的層次；入口有黑醋栗、深莓與一絲薄荷與鼠尾草的草本感。單寧細緻但有力度，酸度帶動整體節奏，餘韻帶礦物感，很像在海邊礫石上的果實成熟感。建議醒60–90分鐘，氛圍是晚飯慢聊或小酌慶祝。

【場景化配餐指南】港式場景：與好友共享週末烤牛、家庭節日的羊架或高級西餐送禮；也很適合與熟成硬乳酪配做夜宵拼盤。

【降維打擊對比】比起大牌 Grand Vin 價差明顯，但保有拉圖家族的結構與陳年潛力——更容易入手，又同樣能在餐桌上交出精彩一杯。

A Pauillac second wine that wears Latour’s signature structure with surprising approachability.

【Why choose it?】
1) Estate pedigree -> meticulous vineyard selection and the same care as the Grand Vin, so you get classic Pauillac structure without the flagship price.
2) Balanced maturation -> 18 months in oak with 50–60% new barrels delivers refined spice and support, not oak dominance.
3) Ready now, keeps long -> polished tannins and vivid acidity make it enjoyable in the near term yet built for decades.

【Sommelier’s notes】On the nose: crushed dark berries, dried florals, cedar and a hint of tobacco and gravel. The palate is concentrated yet lithe — black currant and dark raspberry framed by sage and mint, with fine-grained tannins and a saline, mineral lift through a long, focused finish. Approachable now with decanting, and gains complexity over time.

【Occasion / Pairing】Perfect for a celebratory roast or refined home dinner: Beef Wellington, lamb with green vegetables, or mature hard cheeses. In Hong Kong: a Sunday roast to impress guests, or a festive reunion dinner with richer red meats.

【Winemaking & Vineyard】Les Forts de Latour is vinified with the same rigorous regime as the Grand Vin: careful plot selection (historic blocks plus gravel terraces), 18 months élevage with substantial new oak percentage, and estate-led precision in cellar work. The result is a wine that blends power with poise.

【Competitive edge】Delivers Latour’s house signature—structure, mineral spine and longevity—at a fraction of the Grand Vin’s price; versatile now yet built for long-term aging.

Specification

• Alcohol %: 13.5%
• Decant Time: 60-90 minutes
• Taste: black currant, blackberry, cedar, tobacco, cigar wrapper, mint, sage, dark raspberry, gravelly/mineral, dried flowers, fine oak, peppery spice, fresh acidity, polished tannins, long finish
• Food Matching: Beef Wellington, Lamb rump with asparagus and hollandaise, Boeuf en croûte, Grilled venison or ribeye, Aged Manchego or mature hard cheeses
• Grape Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon : 64%, Merlot , Petit Verdot ,

Winery

Chateau Latour（拉圖）是 Pauillac 的一級名莊，歷史與嚴謹管理聞名。Les Forts de Latour 作為二號酒，延續旗艦的管理尺度：來自數塊經典老藤園與砾石台地、18個月桶陳（約半數新桶），在酒莊的細緻釀造下呈現穩定的結構與陳年潛力。現由 Groupe Artémis 持有，兼顧傳統與現代化釀造手法。

Chateau Latour – a First Growth estate in Pauillac renowned for power, structure and long ageing. Les Forts de Latour is produced with the same meticulous care as the Grand Vin, vinified from selected plots and aged about 18 months with 50–60% new oak. Owned by Groupe Artémis S.A., the estate combines century-old vineyard blocks with newer acquisitions to add complexity to the second wine.