Latour... but not this time
1974 was not a celebrated Bordeaux vintage. A cold summer, rain at harvest, and wines that struggled to find balance. But Latour is Latour—they bottled their grand vin anyway. That takes guts… or blind faith.
Tasting note
Unfortunately, this bottle had seen better days. The cork disintegrated on contact, and what poured out was more museum relic than wine. No fruit, no structure—just faded acidity and damp cellar notes.
Fun fact
Despite the difficult 1974 vintage, Château Latour not only released its Grand Vin—it was also one of the first Bordeaux estates to begin embracing stricter fruit selection, a practice that would later define its modern winemaking philosophy. In hindsight, the 1974 bottling marks an early step toward Latour’s pursuit of quality.
Score Not rated
A small note on our tasting impressions:
Many of the wines we taste come from bottles that aren’t quite sale-worthy—levels a bit low, labels too distressed, or simply not pretty enough for the spotlight. While we love the character these bottles bring, our notes are not based on a single glass alone. They reflect years of tasting experience—both within our team and from trusted friends in the wine world.
As for the fun facts?
All true (we promise)… though possibly enhanced by the gentle glow of a good glass of wine.