Latour. The name needs no introduction, yet speaks volumes. Undoubtedly one of the most famous wines in the world, Latour (no Château necessary) is one of the “Big Five” - the others being Haut Brion, Margaux, Mouton and Lafite. Rather like Madonna or Elvis, once you reach iconic status, a single name is all you need.

A first growth wine that has systematically held its Grand Cru classe A status since 1855, Latour is much more than just a wine. Owned by luxury goods magnate Francois Pinault considers the estate more or less as he would any other brand in his portfolio (Gucci and Saint Laurent are just two that spring to mind). The sale in 1993 was reported at having cost Pinault over $130,000,000. Some say that since Pinault’s acquisition the wine has lost its soul, but the consistent production of superb vintages year after year seem to contradict them.

Despite its legendary status, Latour has been falling out of favour with critics in recent years. Pinault’s unprecedented decision to stop all futures in 2012 was not well-received by investors. Many believe that his decision was to increase sales to the Chinese who are not familiar with the futures market. A spokesperson for Latour defends this decision: "Our team will taste the wine often and decide when it is ready. That’s the goal. We wanted to kill the speculation side of the market." This means investing in Latour becomes less interesting as wines will only come onto the market once they are ready for drinking. It does, however, mean that the risk of investing in Latour – not that it was ever that risky – is taken out.

The spring frost of 1956 eradicated 50% of all vines of the region, with Latour suffering huge loses. So it was to everyone’s surprise that as early as 1961, with a majority of vines that were just 5 years old, Latour produced its most legendary vintage of the 20th century and one that remains the most expensive of all Latours to date. An Imperial or six-litre bottle sold at Christie's (also a Pinault owned entity) in China for a staggering €156,851 in 2011. The 1961 success is largely due to Latour’s exceptional terroir, or “enclos”. Soil in the enclos has remained almost exactly as when the Château first began trading in 1794. The clay, gravel and marl soil, along with the limestone deposits in the subsoil and proximity to water create perfect growing conditions, relatively unhindered by harsh weather.