Château Latour-Martillac

The estate takes its name from a 12th-century tower, a remnant of a fortified castle built by ancestors of the philosopher Montesquieu. The property first attracted Edouard Kressmann in 1871, and Alfred Kressmann formally acquired it in 1930. That same decade, Alfred and Jean Kressmann designed the estate's distinctive Art Deco label featuring gold and sandy stripes, still in use today. The Kressmann family's connection to Latour-Martillac gained royal recognition when the 1934 vintage was served at King George VI's coronation in 1936.

• 12th-century tower survives from a fortified castle connected to Montesquieu's ancestors
• Kressmann family ownership established in 1930 by Alfred Kressmann
• Art Deco label with gold and sandy stripes designed in the 1930s
• Currently managed by fourth-generation siblings Tristan and Loïc Kressmann

The estate covers 42 hectares within the Pessac-Léognan appellation and benefits from a temperate maritime climate. Soils are deliberately separated by wine style: the red wine vineyards sit on gravel slopes on the Martillac plateau, while the white wine parcels occupy a cooler micro-climate zone near the Garonne River, where clay, limestone, and gravel pebbles predominate. The oldest plot, Grapecap, dates to 1884 and remains a living piece of the estate's viticultural heritage.

• Red wine vines planted on gravel slopes of the Martillac plateau
• White wine vines on clay, limestone, and gravel near the Garonne River
• Cooler micro-climate near the Garonne benefits white wine production
• Grapecap, the oldest vineyard plot, was planted in 1884

Red wines are built on Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, with Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc also grown. White wines blend Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon, and Muscadelle. Red Grand Vin is aged 15 to 18 months in French oak, while white wines are aged on lees in barrel for 15 or more months, adding complexity and texture. The estate produces wines under three labels: Château Latour-Martillac, Lagrave-Martillac, and Lacroix-Martillac.

• Red wines: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc
• White wines: Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon, Muscadelle
• Red Grand Vin aged 15-18 months in French oak
• White wines aged on lees in barrel for 15+ months

Latour-Martillac was included in the 1953 Grand Cru Classé de Graves classification, one of only six estates to receive classification for both red and white wines. This dual recognition reflects the genuine quality of both styles produced on the estate. Beyond its historic classification, the property holds Haute Valeur Environnementale certification, recognising its commitment to sustainable viticulture across the 42-hectare estate.

• Classified Grand Cru Classé de Graves in 1953
• One of only six Graves estates classified for both red and white wines
• Certified Haute Valeur Environnementale for sustainable practices
• Second wine Lagrave-Martillac released since 1986