Chateau Latour-Martillac 2018

Sleek, with mesquite‑infused cassis laced with an additional iron and sanguine thread. The finish picks up light savory and tobacco details. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2032.

Clean, vibrant aromas of cigar box, fresh leather and sweet spice. Subtle blueberries and integrated tannin structure. Pleasing with impressive complexity, balanced acidity and deep purple fruit notes. Polished but closed wild cherry, ripe plum, and blackcurrant. A mouth-filling experience with ripe fruit, robust tannins, and youthful acidity. Needs time to evolve.

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.

60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 8% Petit Verdot. Black core with a crimson rim. Finely herbal black fruit, the perfume of the appellation, while the fruit is clearly ripe. So deliciously scented. Really fine tannins, almost powdery even though they give a firm foundation. Chewy on the way to smooth. Lots of freshness, as much from those tannins as from the moderate acidity. Moreish and persistent. (JH)

The 2018 Latour-Martillac is generous on the nose, offering plenty of black and red fruit, with touches of mint and menthol gradually emerging over time, though as I stated previously, I would like to see more Pessac DNA come through. The palate is well balanced, although the oak is quite prominent at the moment and you can feel the wood tannins, especially toward the tobacco-tinged finish. Not bad, but it needs a couple of years to fully meld.

Dark ruby, good depth, purple reflections, delicate edge brightening. Dark berry fruit with tobacco and herbs in the background, delicate oak savouriness. Medium body, fresh cherry, lively structure, integrated tannins, already developed, a versatile companion at the table. (2020-2040).

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.

Dense purple garnet. Open nose of ripe dark cherry, with red plums behind. On the palate, a firm tannic framework, turning austere. Medium finish with plum skin and rosehip tea.

Kunz barrel sample 19: (60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 8% Petit Verdot, 14.7% alc./vol., 37 hl/ha) Floral, powerful bouquet, plums, delicate damson, licorice, coal. Balanced, fresh, fruity palate with a silky texture, intense aromatics, fine-sandy tannins, spicy notes, long, delicately bitter finish. Has room to improve further.

(60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 8% Petit Verdot, 14.7% alc./vol., 37 hl/ha) Floral, powerful bouquet, plums, fine damsons, licorice, coal. Balanced, fresh, fruity palate with a silky texture, intense aromatics, finely sandy tannins, spicy nuances, long, delicately bitter finish. Has room to improve. 17/20 2025 - 2042

Ok, I’m cheating a little by putting this in the value category, as it comes in at just over €40 in most retail stores in France, but it’s still a whole lot of wine for the price, and it has blossomed since I last tasted it two years ago. Dark chocolate, blueberry, smoked cedar and cola. 40% new oak, harvest from September 17 to October 2. Tasted in Melbourne at a Bordeaux dinner.

Latour-Martillac 2018 is deep garnet purple in color. It reveals notes of stewed plums, boysenberries, and dried mulberries, plus hints of leather, tobacco, and Chinese five spice. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is savory and chewy, with a ferrous note on the long finish.

The nose is still closed, and the wine will need several years before it can be enjoyed at its full potential. Nevertheless, its quality shows in a fleshy mid-palate, chocolatey density, and long finish, with that same chocolatey depth running through.

Garnet red with purple highlights. Lovely freshness and great intensity on the bouquet of this 2018, with notes of morello cherry and red berries such as raspberry and redcurrant. Creamy, rounded character on the palate. The wine is elegant and subtle, perfectly supported by its tension and fine yet generous tannins. Fruity finish. A great Latour-Martillac that deserves a few years of cellaring.

Dark, intense color. Highly aromatic nose, both fruity and smoky. An airy palate with plenty of flavor and tannins that are slightly firm, with a touch of oak on the finish. Normal length.

92–94. Barrel Sample. Firm and spicy, this wine has a dense structure that will lend to good development. It shows a concentrated black-fruit flavor and intense acidity. Expect this wine to have some good medium-term aging.