Chateau Latour

[Mayad Allos]

I have just been given a present, Chateau Latour 1978. As I am no expert I would like to swap it for other less expensive wines.
How much is such a wine worth and how do I go about swapping it ?

[Innkeeper]

Hi Mayad Allos, and welcome to the Wine Board. Two English sources peg it at $185 to $190. That is not a great price for such a prestigious wine, so methinks it's legs may be wobbly. Unless it has been maintained in ideal conditions, you may have a hard time finding a taker. Opened a well maintained 1978 Graves two years ago, and it was gone. Graves normally take longer than Pauillacs to mature, though certainly your Latour was more complex to begin with. My thought would be to plan a cosy party, and pop the baby; having something suitable in reserve in case it has lost it's soul.

[winoweenie]

Hi Mayad, and again welcome to the board. The 78 Bodeauxs have never lived up to their hype. The wines massive tannins haven`t resolved before the fruit said adious. IK gave you some copious insight. A single bottle has very little value , especially without the provenance being a given. Pop the cork, hold your breath, cross your fingers, and maybe, `jes maybe , you`ll have a marvelous wine-sperience. winoweenie