96 points John Gilman Château Latour back in 1970 was still the longest-lived, most consistently excellent and backwards château to be found in all of Bordeaux. For many years after release, the 1970 Latour was one of the few examples of the vintage that was not particularly charming to drink, and it has taken a full 35 years for the wine to really blossom and begin showing its true quality. Today it is clear that the 1970 Latour is clearly one of the top three or four wines of the vintage, which has just now begun to emerge from its customary 30 years of hibernation and show itself in all its splendor. The stunning bouquet offers up sweet notes of black cherries, cassis, some grilled meat, cigar box, plenty of Pauillac soil, a bit of chipotle pepper, woodsmoke and cedar. On the palate the wine is full-bodied, complex and powerful, with a rock solid core of fruit, modest tannins, outstanding acidity, and tremendous length and grip on the endless, soil-driven and profound finish. Just a great bottle of Latour. (JG) 96+  (9/2017)

94 points James Suckling Soft, round and wonderful with currants, licorice and delicate berries with a stony, wet earth undertone. Full and velvety texture.  (6/2011)

94 points Vinous The 1970 Latour must be one of the most unpreditacble vintages ever produced at the estate. It is prone to wild mood swings! This bottle has a deep colour, slightly turbid, with thin bricking on the rim. The bouquet is powerful, quite feral with maybe some VA, scents of sandalwood and Lapsong Souchang infusing the black fruit, becoming more gamey with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied but quite dense, not a Latour of finesse, but plenty of horsepower. It is almost like a vintage car, but the engine is too powerful. With slightly rough tannin on the finish, this masculine and broad-shouldered Latour is compelling, albeit not without fault. (NM)  (7/2018)