Château Latour-Martillac 2020

A red Cru Classé de Graves combining structure and elegant aromas

The estate

Château Latour-Martillac owes its name to a tower standing in the chateau’s main courtyard. This tower is in fact the vestige of a 12th century fort, once used to overlook the road from Bordeaux to Toulouse. Owned by the Kressmann family since 1871, Château Latour-Martillac achieved the title of Cru Classe des Graves in both red and white in 1953. Tristan and Loïc Kressmann continue to carry on the family tradition with passion and ambition, developing great red and white Graves wines.

The vineyard

The Château Latour-Martillac vineyard enjoys an exceptional location in the Pessac-Leognan appellation. The Martillac plateau is composed of a mosaic of gravel dating from the Quaternary, including flint, quartz, lydian and jasper. These soils constitute the terroir of choice for Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. The other main terroir of the property is located closer to the Garonne, where we find clay-limestone and gravelly soils on the surface. This is where the Merlot and the white grape varieties of the property are planted (Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon).

The vintage

The particularly mild winter favoured an early bud break. The heavy spring rainfall caused strong mildew pressure and coulure in the case of the Merlot. The summer was very dry, bringing 8 weeks without rain. While the rainy days in mid-August helped reinvigorate the maturation of the grapes, the dry conditions led to grapes of small size and high concentration. The concentration was enhanced further by the unprecedented heat wave during the harvest.

The blend

The Château Latour-Martillac 2020 was made from a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (60%), Merlot (30%) and Petit Verdot (10%).

The ageing

The Château Latour-Martillac 2020 was aged in oak barrels (40% in new barrels).

The tasting

Colour

Deep and dark, the wine displays a purplish colour.

Nose

The intense nose blends fruity fragrances (blackcurrant, black cherry, fresh fruit) with hints of liquorice and spices.

Palate

The gourmet and powerful palate seduces with its density, its mouth-coating texture and velvety tannins. Beautifully fresh, the finish is fruity and persistent.