Pauillac de Château Latour Bordeaux 2019

While primarily focusing on finding the latest and most outstanding wines from Napa, Sonoma, and under-the-radar wines coming from up and down the west coast, ACME is occasionally offered “The Classics” from across the pond, coming from houses that we cannot pass on the opportunity to share with our collector clients. One of the reasons we think it is vital to drink great Bordeaux wines is that we here in Napa are constantly referencing these wines and using them to inform our winemaking. While I always maintain that Napa and Bordeaux should be given equal acclaim on the world stage, no true fan of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and the blends thereof should be without great wines like these in your collection. 

The family behind Château Latour is also now at the helm up the road at the impeccable EISELE Vineyard here in Calistoga. As such, our pals who work there asked if we might be keen to taste the remarkable “Pauillac” designation wine from their sister winery, and can you suppose what our answer was? “How soon can you get here?!” It was a happy day at the tasting table when these wines made it into our glasses. Let’s be clear: the spittoons didn’t get any action that day. And while the word Bordeaux (and indeed, the word Latour, for that matter) is commonly synonymous with three or four (or five!) digit bottle prices, there is an ocean of top-quality wines made in this region that are attainable every day. This bottling from the famous first-growth house is the wine they make to be enjoyed in the short term and is most commonly found in restaurants in France and abroad.

2019 Blend: 55.8% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38.8% Merlot, 5.4% Petit Verdot

“2019 is characterized by its harmony and balance.  Thanks to favorable conditions, the berries ripened in the best possible manner, and the grapes remained healthy right up to harvest.  A typical Pauillac with remarkably pure aromas of blackberries and fresh plums with spicy notes and hints of graphite. Hedonistic yet well-balanced and very quaffable, its crunchy fruit and fresh acidity accompany the soft, velvety tannins.”

Oh, and the provenance is flawless, coming directly from Château Latour.