2017 Château Latour Martillac Latour Martillac Rouge 1500mL

The 2017 Latour-Martillac is a dark, powerful wine with a ton of Cabernet Sauvignon savoriness, depth and structure. Black cherry, graphite, spice, leather, lavender and menthol infuse the 2017 with striking character and power. The 2017 is a serious, at times stubborn, wine that needs time to soften. Even in the early going, though, it is impressive.

Attractive aromas of briary red and blue berries here, as well as gently herbal and minty elements. The palate has a succulent, plush and supple feel with good concentration of flavor and depth. I like this. Drink or hold.

This has clearly used some oak finessing, giving it an attractive grilled edge that is not at all overpowering, but deepens the overall aromatic expression. It's fairly broad-shouldered, with lovely deep plum and damson flavours. It has the slightest of dips through the mid-palate, but it gathers itself together again to display attractively deep black fruits and tannins that turn chewy but not drying on the finish. Austere, as is the byword of the vintage, but a success. Drinking Window 2025 - 2038

This sports some dark plum and fig fruit flavors allied to a gentle and silky structure. A light licorice snap hint echoes through the finish, with sweet spice notes. The polished finish shows a gloss of toast.—J.M.

The inky-colored 2017 Château Latour-Martillac is another terrific wine from this consistent estate. Blackberries, crushed rocks, espresso, and ample herbal notes give way to a medium-bodied, nicely concentrated 2017 that has ripe tannin and a focused, firm style on the palate. Give it 2-4 years and it should keep for a decade.

Très belle bouche, pleine et fruitée, avec un fruit noir charmeur, une approche toute en gourmandise et en plénitude, pleine d’allant.

The 2017 Latour-Martillac, which is aged in 40% new oak, picked from 12 to 29 September, contains 13.5° alcohol with a pH of 3.6. I must confess that this is the one property where I encountered some sample variation, a couple showing some oxidative issues. The best sample had a high-toned, gregarious bouquet with cassis, blackberry and boysenberry aromas tinged with sous-bois. The palate is medium-bodied with saturated tannin, compact in style with firm grip but missing the peacock’s tail on the saline finish, as if ending the show before the final act. I will seek to re-taste this at a later date.

The 2017 Latour Martillac is deep garnet-purple in color and has a nose of warm blackberries, black plum preserves and stewed tea with hints of dusty soil, sautéed herbs and tobacco. The medium-bodied palate is soft and lively with an earthy finish. Drinking Window : 2020 - 2030