2010 Château LaTour-Martillac

Château LaTour Martillac takes its name from the 12th century tower in the main courtyard of the estate. The tower was part of a fortress built on a strategic stretch of land between Bordeaux and Toulouse. The famous philosopher Montesquieu owned the estate at one time and in the late 19th century it was purchased by Edouard Kressmann, one of Bordeaux’s leading wine merchants. Today the 100-acre property is still owned and operated by the Kressmann family, with the fourth generation in charge. LaTour Martillac produces red and white wines. Of note are the stylized black and gold labels, which were designed in the 1930s by the father-and-son team of Alfred and Jean Kressmann. The estate’s winemaker is Valérie Vialard. Recent vintages have won ratings in the mid-90s.

Pessac-Léognan was created in 1987 from the northern part of the left bank Graves appellation. Before then it was simply part of Graves, or sometimes it was called Haut-Graves. Unlike many other Bordeaux appellations, Pessac-Léognan is known for both red and dry white wines, although its reds are more famous. The appellation includes ten communes and the area’s most important châteaux, including Château Haut-Brion, the only non-Médoc estate included in the 1855 Bordeaux classification. There are 2,964 acres of vineyards in Pessac-Léognan and 16 classified growth estates. The main red grapes grown are Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, along with a small amount of Cabernet Franc. White grapes grown are Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon, with a little Muscadelle. Pessac-Léognan is considered to have the best terroir of the greater Graves region.