Château Latour-Martillac

Pessac-Léognan

2018

Blend

60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 8% Petit Verdot

Wine designation

Château Latour Martillac, Red, 2018
Category: Pessac-Léognan, Grand Cru Classé de Graves, Bordeaux

Food pairing

Pair with a grilled ribeye steak or alongside a rack of lamb with creamy polenta.

Château Latour-Martillac

Pessac-Léognan

2018

Tasting notes

Vintage that required additional care and precision, especially regarding the harvest, going back multiple times to pick clusters at optimal ripeness as well as carefully sorting. A deep garnet color with purple edges. Aromatic profile with cassis, black cherries, peonies and element of bark that come through. Round, balanced with velvety tannins.

Vineyard

Vineyard size: 40 hectares
Soil composition: Gunzian gravel on a plateau above the Martillac village.

Winemaking

Fermentation container: Stainless steel tanks.
Maceration technique: Temperature controlled vats.
Aging: Oak barrels
16 months with 40% new barrels
Type of oak: French
Bottles produced: 128 000

Heritage in the vineyard

Domaine

Named for the tower that stands in the main courtyard, the remains of a 12th century fortress built by Montesquieu’s ancestors. Occupying a strategic position controlling the road linking Bordeaux and Toulouse. Edouard Kressmann first noticed the estate before his son Alfred Kressmann purchased the estate in 1930. He would re-name it Château Latour-Martillac. The estate continues to belong to the Kressmann family, with Tristan and Loïc taking care of the estate’s management.

Green in the vineyard

Environmental practices

Gradually adding to their environmentally-friendly viticultural practices over the years. Some key elements are a effluent water treatment plant, discontinuing the use of chemical herbicides, using sexual confusion for pest control, using horses for plots with older vine plots, as well as HVE3 certification in 2020.