交易現場

Saturated medium ruby. Primary aromas of cassis, raspberry, black cherry, licorice and menthol. Very dense and full; impressively sweet and concentrated. The strong but harmonious acids give the flavors superb focus. Finishes with big but ripe tannins and palate-coating, thick fruit of outstanding breadth. Potentially profound.

There are only 14,000 cases (only 48% of the crop made it into the grand vin) of the 2000, which flirts with perfection. Truly great stuff, it reveals perfect equilibrium, great finesse, yet colossal size, with a thickness and density that rival the brilliant 1996. This saturated black ruby/purple colored wine seems almost discreet on first inspection, but with aeration, notes of vanilla, exceptionally pure, mineral-infused creme de cassis, and earth emerge. Full-bodied and tannic, it should come close to representing perfection. Latour's 2000 is hard to compare with previous vintages. It obviously does not have the opulence of the 1990 and 1982, yet there is an extraordinary purity, delineation, seamlessness, and freshness to this wine that sets it apart from previous vintages. In any event, it is prodigious, with at least five decades of evolution ahead of it. Anticipated maturity: 2005-2050

This is a deep yet subtle giant with black truffles, currants, raspberries, and dried flowers. A fabulous nose, amazing already. Full bodied, yet reserved. Absolutely mind blowing on the palate, truly unbelievable. Please don't touch this for another five or six years, this emotional, soulful wine needs the time. Pull the cork in 2016.

The 2000 Latour, however, was appropriately served last in this superlative flight. 'Is that a powerful wine or what?' Someone rhetorically asked. It was a penetrating beast, sinus-clearing with its t 'n a, along with aromas of cement, cedar and a touch of milkshake. Rich, concentrated and dense, the Latour was the biggest wine of the evening and also the thickest and the longest. Game emerged in this behemoth of a wine. It reminded me of that Kayne West song where the chorus goes, 'bigger, longer, faster, stronger.' While I am hesitant to give young wines scores in the 98 and 99 point territory because my convictions are that those scores are for wines that stand the test of time, the 2000 Latour left me no choice

Built for speed. Very intense aromas of black currants, with lead pencil and minerals. Then there's flowers. Full-bodied and very chewy, but turns fine and silky. Long, tannic, curranty finish. Super harmony. Classic. Best Latour since 1990. Score range: 95-100