1956 Château Latour for sale at Arden Fine Wines.
It was cold across Europe in February 1956.
On Hampstead Heath in north London, two inches of snow fell on 19th February – a bit chilly for skinny-dipping in the Mens’ or Ladies’ Ponds.
On 21st February, temperatures dropped to -20°C in Bordeaux. The Garonne river didn’t freeze solid as it did in 1871 but icebergs floated beneath the Pont de pierre.
Mild weather before February caused the sap to rise in the vines. The sap was then frozen solid by the frost and many vines split open and died.
However, the Gironde estuary – where the Dordogne and Garonne rivers meet 15 miles downstream from central Bordeaux – didn’t freeze.
The easternmost part of Château Latour’s Enclos vineyard is less than 500 metres from the Gironde, which might have helped Latour’s vineyards to escape the worst effects of the frost – the proximity of a large mass of water protects against cold spells.
The heart of the Enclos produces the depth, elegance, and concentration we expect of Château Latour every year.
Here, the winemakers achieve optimal expression of the Cabernet Sauvignon (accounting for more than 90% of the blend) in terms of colour, richness, and freshness.
Latour’s 1956 was a good wine for this nightmarishly nippy vintage.
You can find this 1956 Château Latour for sale at Arden Fine Wines.
1956 Château Latour for sale
Overall, 1956 was a terrible year for the vineyards of Bordeaux…
Experts generally consider the 1956 vintage a weak year for Bordeaux.
Disastrous frosts in February took a heavy toll on the vines.
Château Latour did not suffer too badly, but the bad weather during the summer negatively affected growth and, ultimately, quality.
The weather in September was generally fine, but for the harvests, which began on 5 October, rain and cold set in.
Despite the difficult conditions, critics often cite Château Latour’s 1956 vintage as a notable success.
The wine, while lacking the intensity of better vintages, showed good flavour.