Chateau Latour-Martillac

The name of the estate was derived from an ancient tower which can still be seen, dating from the 12^th century, in the courtyard at the front of the property. The earliest record as a vineyard was dated only to the 19^th century, but the wines were not widely known or of great reputation then. It was not until the arrival of the Kressmanns, a family of German descent, that things began to change.

Edouard Kressmanns arrived in Bordeaux in the 1860s and set up wine trade, distributing the wines of Latour-Martillac by 1871. The family later took over the viticulture, first planting white varieties in 1884 and then launched Graves Monopole Dry in 1892, selling well throughout much of the early 20^th century.

Edouard’s son Alfred later decided to purchase the estate in 1929 and owned it till now. Most of the 12 hectares vineyard was planted with white varieties then. The wine got a good reputation and was drunk at the coronation of George VI in 1937. Alfred’s son Jean took over control in 1955.

Although the white is more well-known, it was the red which was first classified in 1953. The white followed later at 1959. Jean then decided to purchase the adjacent land to increase the vineyard to 30 hectares, and there were more purchases in recent years.

Now the estate is under the management of the next generation, with brothers Tristan and Loic in the helm. They had been advised by Denis Dubourdieu in 1986 and Michel Rolland in 1989. Today the vineyard covers 46 hectares, with 36 hectares on red varieties.

The soil is the typical gravel of the region, but also with some clay and limestone. Average age of red vines is 30 years, with 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot. The whites are comprised of 55% Semillon, 40% Sauvignon Blanc and 5% Muscadelle, with average age of 40 years.

The vines are pruned in double Guyot, harvest manually, with the grapes transported to the winery using small crates to minimize oxidation. They are then sorted before destemmed, crushed and fermented in stainless steel vats with temperature control.

The red undergoes 3 weeks of maceration, and then goes into oak barrels (up to 40% new) for as long as 20 months, before fining with egg white and bottled. The white wine undergoes gentle pressing before ferment in stainless steel vats, then going into barrels (also up to 40% new) and rests on lees for 15 months.

Annual production is about 10000 cases of red and 2000 cases of white, with a second wine marketed as Lagrave-Martillac.

The grand vin white has a higher percentage of Sauvignon Blanc in recent vintages, bringing a more aromatic note, with also characterized by acidity and freshness. The red is often understated with well-integrated oak in youth and pleasing fruit, with freshness and minerality, and a classic Graves of good value.