Château Latour Martillac 2009

Château Latour-Martillac 2009 — Pessac-Léognan Cru Classé de Graves

This Château Latour-Martillac 2009 is a very fine expression of Pessac-Léognan in a sunny, ripe and generous vintage. The wine combines the richness of black fruit, the depth of Cabernet Sauvignon, the roundness of Merlot and the smoky signature of the great Graves terroirs: blackberry, cassis, graphite, cigar box, toast, smoke, spice and ripe tannins.

Classified as a Cru Classé de Graves for both red and white wines since 1953, Château Latour-Martillac takes its name from the tower that stands in its courtyard, a remnant of an old fort in Martillac. The 2009 is often considered one of the estate’s great modern successes: a deep, opulent and concentrated wine that still preserves the gravelly, fresh and lightly smoky identity of Pessac-Léognan.

Terroir: Pyrenean gravel ridge and the spirit of Pessac-Léognan

Château Latour-Martillac is located on a remarkable ridge of Pyrenean gravel, one of the essential markers of the great terroirs of Pessac-Léognan. These poor, well-draining gravel soils encourage deep rooting, grape concentration and regular ripening. They also bring the typical Graves signature: tension, smoky notes, graphite, minerality and structural freshness.

In the 2009, the warmth of the vintage gives a wine that is richer, broader and more immediately seductive than in more classical years. Yet the terroir still plays its balancing role: the ripe black fruit remains framed by notes of smoke, graphite, earth and cedar, with a tannic structure that is ripe but serious.

Tasting notes

Appearance: dark purple with garnet reflections, dense, deep and still very sustained. The colour reflects both the ripeness of the 2009 vintage and the natural concentration of this Pessac-Léognan.

Nose: rich, deep and expressive, with blackberry, cassis, blueberry, crème de cassis, black cherry, graphite, cigar box, toast, smoke, charcoal embers, spice, liquorice and a touch of coffee. With air, it also reveals nuances of warm earth, noble oak and cocoa.

Palate: broad, dense and velvety, with generous black fruit and ripe, deep, structuring tannins. The wine shows fine concentration, an opulent texture and a long, intense, savoury finish. The richness of the vintage is well balanced by the gravelly personality of the terroir, which brings graphite, smoke and mineral freshness.

Expression of the 2009 vintage

The 2009 vintage in Bordeaux is marked by ripeness, generosity and rounded tannins. At Château Latour-Martillac, it produced a particularly successful wine, described by several tasters as one of the best ever made by the estate. The style is rich, opulent and deep, without losing the smoky, mineral and earthy personality of Pessac-Léognan.

Today, Château Latour-Martillac 2009 is entering a very attractive drinking phase. The fruit remains generous, the tannins are gradually melting, and notes of cedar, tobacco, graphite, smoke, forest floor and cocoa are beginning to complement the depth of cassis and blackberry. It can be enjoyed now after measured aeration, while still retaining fine ageing potential.