1957 was a cold, awkward year in the Médoc. Spring frost cut the crop, flowering dragged on, and picking ran late into October. The wines came out hard, high in acid and short on charm, and most estates would rather the vintage were forgotten. Latour, as usual, was one of the few properties that turned that severity into something worth cellaring.
The château stands on a rise of deep gravel at the southern edge of Pauillac, looking out over the Gironde, and its whole reputation rests on this: the ability to make serious wine in years that defeat everyone else. In 1957 it still belonged to the de Beaumont family, six years before the sale that put Latour into British hands.
Almost seventy years on, the tannin that made this wine unapproachable when it was young is precisely what has held it together. Bottles from the lean vintages of the 1950s are also far harder to find than the famous ones, for the simple reason that far fewer people bought them at the time.
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Producer: Château Latour
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Vintage: 1957
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Appellation: Pauillac AOC
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Format: 75cl
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Region: Bordeaux, France
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Style: Red
Where it is likely to be now. Latour's tannic build gives a 1957 a better chance of survival than the vintage's reputation suggests, but at sixty-nine years it is sold as a collectible with no promise of drinkability.
Who it suits. Right for a sixty-ninth birthday, and a good choice for someone who follows Bordeaux closely enough to enjoy the idea of a difficult year handled well.
Condition. The merchant records the bottle as good for its age with no specific fault noted, and we confirm fill, capsule and label ourselves before the bottle ships.
Provenance. Bought to order from a professional European merchant. We check fill, label and capsule when the bottle reaches us and photograph it before it ships.
Delivered in 7 to 10 working days, tracked. Transit cover can be added at checkout.
Sold as a collectible item, as seen. No guarantee is given on drinkability.
