Château Latour, Pauillac 2005

Latour in 2005, a legendary vintage from the most monolithic of the first growths. The great tower guards Cabernet Sauvignon grown on the Enclos gravel beside the Gironde, and 2005 was a year of perfect balance and near-infinite reserves. Released only when ready, this is Pauillac built to outlive us.

Dense, brooding ruby, it remains tightly furled, releasing cassis, blackberry, graphite, cedar and a cool mineral smoke. The palate is immense and seamless, tannins vast but exquisitely fine, the structure of a wine made for decades. Crème de cassis, lead pencil, tobacco and warm gravel echo through a finish of monumental, unhurried length.