1985 - Latour, Pauillac

The 1985 Latour comes from a period where the First Growth was not firing on all cylinders. This offers black fruit laced with cedar and damp loamy scents, tertiary and a little smoky in style. The palate is well balanced though it does not deliver the complexity of a top Latour. There is gentle grip but it needs more finesse towards the finish. This bottle is actually better than others I have drunk in the past, but it's not a patch on the 1982 or 1990, also recently tasted. Tasted at the 1985 dinner at Noble Rot Mayfair.