The first bottle I bought to cellar 13 years ago. Stored in a climate-controlled cellar ever since. Upon pulling the cork, aromas of cedar and underbrush leap from the glass, followed by a rather acidic, astringent dose of tannin in the mouth. It shut down shortly thereafter, at which point we decanted. The wine then re-emerged after 2 hours to reveal a nuanced and floral nose of leather, graphite, anise, and a touch of iron minerality. It was at its best at hour 3, adding notes of hickory, mushroom, and soy to the nose, followed by a settled-down, medium-full bodied mouthfeel of well concentrated black fruits, cocoa, soy and sage, and a super expressive and lingering finish of the same flavors. In terms of complexity, this is first growth Bordeaux all the way, just lacking the majestic stature and silkiness of the best vintages. My read is that it's still got the stuffing and structure to reward further bottle age (5-10 years), but is drinking quite well now, so long as you decant for 2-3 hours.

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Not a blockbuster, the 1998 possesses a dark garnet/purple color in addition to a complex bouquet of underbrush, cedar, walnuts, and licorice-tinged black currants. Although medium to full-bodied and moderately tannic, it lacks the expansiveness in the mid-palate necessary to be truly great. Moreover, the tannin is slightly aggressive, although that is hardly unusual in such a young Latour. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2030.

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