2016 Latour Martillac Blanc
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Tasting notes
A brilliant Pessac white at five years old, probably the upper limit of where most of us feel comfortable saving a white wine to be sure of guarding its fresh fruit flavours. You have zero issues if you have done so with this wine - it is dripping with fresh juicy acidities, beautiful ripe lemon, peach and pear flavours and soft white pepper and sage spices. Just gorgeous, taut, balanced and delicious. 25% new oak. harvest September 6 to 20.
Critic scores
Average Score
James Suckling
Wine Spectator
More reviews and scores
The 2016 Latour-Martillac Blanc has a detailed bouquet of white flowers and white peach scents, quite graceful and focused, plus hints of elderflower loitering in the background. The palate is well balanced with quite a sappy opening, very good salinity and an intense, slightly waxy-textured finish that demonstrates fine persistence. This is a superb dry white Bordeaux; it just needs a few months to absorb the remaining new oak. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting.
I loved the white from this terrific estate. The 2016 Château Latour-Martillac Blanc has impressive notes of caramelized limes, tangerine, and lemon curd in a medium-bodied, pure, elegant package. It shows some salty minerality on the finish, has good acidity, and should keep for 10-15 years.
The 2016 Latour-Martillac Blanc has an attractive bouquet of pineapple, lemon zest and cold, wet limestone, the latter becoming more prominent with aeration. The palate is very well balanced with a fine line of acidity. White peach mixes with pink grapefruit and quince, all leading to a harmonious and quite persistent saline finish. This comes highly recommended for all dry white Bordeaux lovers.
About the producer
Owned and managed by the Kressman family, Latour-Martillac is one of the region’s most recognisable estates – with the eponymous tower standing proudly at its entrance. Its 50 hectares of vines produce benchmark Pessac.