Château Latour Martillac 2016 - Grand Cru Classé de Graves

Bettane & Desseauve

About wine:

Very colorful, intense, harmonious, certainly excellent value for money for lovers of classic wines with great aging potential.

About the estate:

This classified growth is a model family estate, with all the Kressmann children displaying an almost filial attachment to their heritage and very sound management. The red wine has gained greatly in tannin finesse and texture elegance. The wines are classic, with an emphasis on fruit, tannin quality, and freshness. Under the leadership of the highly talented and rigorous Valérie Vialard, the white wines are flawless, precise, aromatic, and perfectly lively.

Decanter

Guide Hachette des vins

About wine:

Between garnet and purple, this wine delivers on its promises. Admittedly, the bouquet has not yet fully developed, but it already hints at its future finesse with beautiful notes of red fruit. Round and supple on the attack, the palate develops in strength, revealing a solid tannic structure. A well-balanced Pessac, built to last.

About the estate:

While many of the big names in Bordeaux wine trading chose to set up in the Médoc, the Kressmanns opted for the Graves region and this vineyard, acquired in 1930, which owes its name to a tower adorning its courtyard, a remnant of a castle built in the 12th century by Montesquieu's ancestors. A beautiful 50-hectare estate renowned for both its white and red wines.

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

About wine:

Latour Martillac 2016 has a deep garnet purple color and offers notes of warm plums, cherry liqueur, and redcurrants on the nose, with hints of bay leaves, iron ore, and black soil. Medium-bodied, with a well-supported attack of muscular fruit on the palate, it has a firm structure with fine-grained tannins and superb freshness, ending with a long finish.

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France

About wine:

The 8% Petit Verdot in the blend brings color to this full-bodied, very complete wine with magnificent creamy, structuring tannins. The finish is mineral. A great success for this vintage, which is in excellent shape.

About the estate:

This is a fine example of a family estate, still owned by the Kressmanns, a historic family of Bordeaux wine merchants. Tristan and Loïc Kressmann are now at the helm of this classified growth, which enjoys an excellent location on the Martillac plateau. Each generation has respected the heritage handed down to them, while making progress in vineyard management and winemaking with their cellar master, Valérie Vialard. The château inaugurated a new winery for red wines with the 2019 vintage. Without succumbing to passing fads, the wines have retained their elegant and precise style, while gaining in density. This very convincing balance between tradition and modernity, as well as the particularly distinguished character of the latest vintages, lead us to award Latour-Martillac a second star.

Wine Spectator

Wine Enthusiast

About wine:

This structured wine, supported by abundant blackcurrant fruit, is initially austere. Its richness needs time to develop and become the classically structured wine that this estate knows so well how to make. Drink from 2025 onwards.

Jancis Robinson

Vinous

James Suckling

About wine:

It is very fragrant with aromas of blackberry and blueberry, but has an undertone of warm stone and white almond. It is medium-bodied to full-bodied with tight, silky tannins that are extremely polished and magnificent. I love the length and balance of this wine. Try it after 2022.