‘Go big or go home’ was the mantra of founder Grant Ashton when he opened the Club a decade ago. And, with events from the likes of Krug, Opus One, Châteaux Rayas, Musar, Rauzan-Ségla and Canon peppering the autumn calendar, it’s an approach we’ve been well and truly embracing in the lead-up to our 10th anniversary.
Now we have one final headliner for you – a dinner allowing you to start the countdown to Christmas in style, courtesy of Château Latour.
There’s not much that we need add to the status of the storied Pauillac first growth. Some claim it is the ne plus ultra among its fellow Médoc premiers grands crus classés – though we’ll leave that argument for another day. But what Latour can certainly lay claim to, through its vaunted grand vin, is the ultimate example of the much-used descriptor ‘an iron first in a velvet glove’.
Over the three decades of its ownership by Artemis Domaines, Latour’s relentless quest for quality and obsessive attention to detail has reached new levels – perhaps most vividly seen in its withdrawal from the En Primeur system, so as to more closely guard the maturation and distribution of its wines, which are now released a decade after production.
The 2012, the first to be released in such manner, is among the vintages we will be enjoying at the dinner, along with the 2006 and 1985 (the latter served in magnum), plus two examples of the property’s second wine, Les Forts de Latour.
The five Latour wines will be complemented by two white wines from other properties within the Artemis portfolio – Champagne Jacquesson and Bouchard Père & Fils – all introduced by Jean Garandeau, commercial director for Artemis and managing director of Jacquesson.
Time to clear the diary…
The menu:
Tuna and carrot tart
Pigeon and mushroom pearl barley
Turbot with a brown butter sabayon
Venison and boudin noir, pomme terrine
A selection of British and European cheeses
The wines we will be tasting:
Champagne Jacquesson, Cuvée 748
White Burgundy from Bouchard Père & Fils (exact wine to be confirmed)
2018 Forts de Latour, Pauillac
2015 Forts de Latour, Pauillac
2012 Château Latour 2012, 1er Grand Cru Classé, Pauillac
2006 Château Latour 2006, 1er Grand Cru Classé, Pauillac
1985 Château Latour, 1er Grand Cru Classé, Pauillac (en magnum)
