The winery. Château Latour-Martillac sits in Martillac, in the Pessac-Léognan appellation (Graves), and it's a rare double: one of the small handful of Bordeaux châteaux classified in 1959 for both red and white wine. It's been in the Kressmann family since the late 1800s, when négociant Edouard Kressmann bought the property and replanted much of the vineyard — some of those original white vines, grafted in 1884, are still producing today. The label design dates back to 1936 (the vintage served at King George VI's coronation), and the estate is now run by Tristan and Loïc Kressmann, with the next generation (Edouard) coming up in the business.
The wine. 54 hectares total, but only 9 dedicated to white — this is genuinely a small-production bottling. Blend is 60% Sauvignon Blanc, 40% Sémillon, with the Sémillon partly coming from a tiny 0.65-hectare plot (Gratte-cap) planted almost 140 years ago. Whole-cluster pressed, aged on the lees in barrel (about 22% new oak) for roughly 15 months.
Tasting notes (2020, 92-93 pts across critics): Waxy lemon, honeysuckle, grapefruit and tangerine peel on the nose; fresh, creamy and vibrant on the palate with real minerality and a citrus-driven, saline finish. Drinking well now but built to age.
Food pairings: Roast chicken or turkey, lobster or scallops in cream sauce, soft-ripened cheeses, smoked fish — the oak and lees texture want something rich, not just raw seafood.
Certifications: HVE3 (Haute Valeur Environnementale, level 3) since September 2020 — France's official high-environmental-value certification, covering reduced chemical inputs, biodiversity and water management.
