On March 17, 2025, Château Latour unveiled its highly anticipated 2016 Grand Vin, a release that reaffirms the Pauillac estate’s towering reputation among Bordeaux’s First Growths. The 2016 debuts at €470 ex-château, with ex-négociant pricing at €540 and a full case (12x75cl) at £6,200—roughly €614.4 per bottle—releasing 5,000 cases. According to Liv-ex, it lands at a compelling 22.7% discount to the current market price of the 100-point 2010 vintage (£8,020), a figure that underscores its draw for collectors.
Crafted from 92.9% Cabernet Sauvignon and 7.1% Merlot, the 2016 marks a milestone as the estate’s first fully organic vintage, with certification later secured in 2018. According to the official Latour website, the year was phenologically normal yet climatically striking—the first half saw record rainfall, the wettest in 20 years, while July to October shifted to an exceptionally dry spell, among the leanest in 16 years. A timely 35mm of rain in September eased vine stress, paving the way for perfect ripening. Merlot harvests began on September 22 and wrapped up by the 30th, while Cabernet Sauvignon picking spanned October 7 to 19 under sunny, mild conditions. Technical director Hélène Genin and consultant Eric Boissenot shaped a wine lauded internally for its pure fruit, fine tannins, and elegant length, aged in 100% new oak.
The critical reception has been nothing short of extraordinary. Neal Martin of Vinous crowns it with a perfect 100, ranking it among Latour’s all-time greats—1900, 1959, and 1982. He lauds its “beguiling symmetry” of blackberry, pencil lead, and minerality, with a drinking window stretching from 2032 to 2075. Jane Anson of Inside Bordeaux, also at 100, captures its classic Pauillac essence—mint, coffee bean, and crushed rocks—unfurling into rose and peony, best from 2028 to 2060, while Lisa Perrotti-Brown of The Wine Independent hails its “atomic” black fruit and ferrous finish, reaching to 2070.
Decanter’s Georgina Hindle joins with 100 points, tracing pencil lead and cola through a structured palate from 2028 to 2058, and Antonio Galloni of Vinous (100 points) deems it “epic” for its power and finesse, ideal between 2026 and 2066. William Kelley of Wine Advocate, at 96+, sees muscular depth with a hint of austerity, urging patience through 2066. Among 2016 First Growths, Latour stands alone with Martin’s perfect score—Mouton and Haut-Brion trail at 99, Margaux at 98, and Lafite at 97.
Released today, the 2016 reflects Latour’s post-en primeur ethos of in-house aging for precision and stability. While a separate chart will detail its pricing history, today’s figures tell the story: a wine of rare pedigree, priced with intent, and poised to echo through decades.
