Château Latour-Martillac 2018

Jeannie Cho Lee

Jane Anson - Inside Bordeaux

Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider

Vanilla, plums and smoky red fruits with a touch of flowers create the nose. Silky, medium-bodied, sweet, fresh, supple and juicy, with a little touch of cocoa in the finish, this is one of the best, if not the finest vintage of La Tour-Martillac I have ever tasted. The wine is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot and 8% Petit Verdot.

Wine Enthusiast

Owned by the Kressmann family, this estate has released an ageworthy wine. Rich tannins are balanced by dark, juicy blackberry fruits and dense, concentrated tannins. The wine needs to age, so drink from 2026.

Robert Parker Wine Advocate

Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2018 Latour Martillac comes barreling out of the glass with bold notes of baked blackberries, plum preserves and redcurrant jelly, plus suggestions of garrigue, pencil shavings and menthol with a waft of tree bark. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has a sturdy frame of firm, grainy tannins and just enough freshness to support the generous fruit, finishing long and earthy.

Jeb Dunnuck

A plump, up-front, and nicely textured Pessac, the 2018 Château Latour-Martillac has lots of red and black fruits, classic Graves notes of damp earth, tobacco, and earth, medium to full body, ripe tannins, and wonderful purity and elegance on the palate. It's beautifully done, and while it drops off slightly on the finish, I love its tannins, the balance is spot on, and it's going to drink nicely for 15 years or more.

Decanter Magazine

This has clear austerity on the attack, but the style of this wine is always to be a little more classic and understated than some others in the appellation, and it is heading towards an attractive, well-placed and well-judged wine. A ton of cassis and bilberry fruits, firm tannins and gentle uplift through the finish. Takes its time to unroll, but you get a lovely juicy finish, and raspberry leaf and peony aromatics. Harvested 17 September to 10 October, yielding 37hl/ha. 40% new oak. 3.71pH.

James Suckling

Aromas of blackcurrant, spiced cherry, charred wood and some smoked meat. It’s medium-to full-bodied with firm, fine-grained tannins. Tight layers of dark fruit and spice. Better from 2024.