The 2016 Pauillac de Château Latour is a compelling, sumptuous wine that shows just how magnificent the year is. How can this be a third wine? Dark and ample in the glass, Latour's Pauillac possesses tremendous breed right out of the gate. Black cherry, graphite, licorice, spice and leather all meld together in the glass. Floral overtones develop nicely with time. Only the (relatively) lighter structure suggests the Pauillac's place in the château's hierarchy. Everything else is first class all the way. The Pauillac is a blend taken from parcels outside the core holdings in the famed enclos, plus younger vines in the enclos. Drinking Window: 2022-2036.

Starting with the 2016 Le Pauillac De Chateau Latour, which can be thought of as the entry level wine from this great estate, it checks in as a blend of 54.6% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38.9% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot. Showing similar to the last showing, it has a gorgeous Pauillac nose of blackcurrants, lead pencil shavings, graphite, tobacco, and damp earth. Rich, medium to full-bodied, and beautifully textured, it shows the quality of this great vintage as well as plenty of classic Latour character, allbeit, in a much more upfront, charming style. It's drinking beautifully today yet my money is on it evolving for another two decades.