critic reviews
Latour-Martillac 2023 has a deep garnet-purple color. It opens with cedar and spice box notes, before giving way to a core of blackcurrant jelly, wild strawberries, and iron ore, with a waft of garrigue. Medium-bodied, the palate delivers tight-knit black and red berry layers, with mineral accents and grainy tannins to support, finishing with a refreshing lift.
Grilled oak, deep ruby colour, touch of rose petals on the nose, more floral than many in the appellation, gives a pretty feel to the opening beats. This is on the fresher side of the vintage but still with ripe fruits, and a cushion of air that runs through the palate, good quality, elegant, medium term drinking, should be good to go within four or five years, just allow the architecture to soften. 40% new oak, 33hl/ha yield.
The 2023 Latour-Martillac has a more straightforward, less nuanced bouquet than some of its peers at the moment. It does not quite engage the senses as I would have hoped. The palate is medium-bodied with quite assertive tannins matched by a crisp acidity thread, though again, the finish feels a little hard and muscular. I will be prudent with my score for now.
Composed of 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot and 14% Petit Verdot and matured with 40% in new oak barrels, the 2023 Latour Martillac reveals aromas of dark wild berries, spices, pencil lead and mulberries, followed by a medium to full-bodied, concentrated and rich, layered and fleshy palate that segues into a firm, long and mineral finish. The increased proportion of Petit Verdot, a response to mildew affecting the Merlot grapes, imparts a more structured and firm character than seen in previous years.