CHÂTEAU LATOUR MARTILLAC
2018 Cru Classé Pessac-Léognan
60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 8% Petit Verdot. 40% new oak. Well integrated oak - the dark fruit is nicely poised. Drying tannins towards the end. Drinking range: 2023 - 2030L&S (Apr 2019)
* This is a pre-shipment/primeur offer. All orders are accepted under the TERMS of this offer which differ from the terms of the rest of the site.
Aromas of blackcurrant, spiced cherry, charred wood and some smoked meat. It’s medium-to full-bodied with firm, fine-grained tannins. Tight layers of dark fruit and spice. Better from 2024. Rating: 93 James Suckling, www.jamessuckling.com (Feb 2021)
Sleek, with mesquite-infused cassis laced with an additional iron and sanguine thread. Finish picks up light savory and tobacco details. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Drinking range: 2032 - Rating: 93 James Molesworth, The Wine Spectator (Jan 2021)
Black core. Lovely fragrance of fresh dark fruit and something like lavender. Dark-fruited but still pretty. Elegant, scented with a complex range of aromas that are dark fruit, crushed rocks, and a hint of something floral. Poised and fresh. Drinking range: 2023 - 2033 Rating: 17 Julia Harding MW, www.JancisRobinson.com (Apr 2019)
Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2018 Latour Martillac bursts from the glass with bold cassis, chocolate-covered cherries and plum preserves scents followed up by smoked meats, violets and aniseed hints plus a waft of Provence herbs. Full-bodied, firm and fine-grained in the mouth, the palate is laden with juicy fruit and savory layers, finishing long and fragrant. Rating: 93-95 Lisa Perrotti-Brown, RobertParker.com (Apr 2019)
The blackberry and wet-earth character with some bark undertones, comes through clearly here. Medium-to full-bodied. Savory finish. Rating: 93-94 James Suckling, www.jamessuckling.com (Apr 2019)
Firm and spicy, this wine has a dense structure that will lend to good development. It shows a concentrated black-fruit flavor and intense acidity. Expect this wine to have some good medium-term aging. Rating: 93 Roger Voss, Wine Enthusiast www.winemag.com (Apr 2019)
This takes its time to open, eventually revealing blackberry and black cherry fruits, layered with liquorice and chocolate, followed by some touches of bitterness on the finish. Harvested 17 September to 10 October, yielding 37hl/ha. 40% new oak. 3.71pH. Drinking range: 2025 - 2040 Rating: 94 Jane Anson, Decanter (Mar 2019)
Château Latour Martillac
The 'tour' of the estate's name is a tower that stands in the main courtyard of the estate - it is all that remains of a 12th century fort. The rest of the fort was demolished and the stones used to built the château sometime in the 18th century. A Bordeaux wine merchant, Edouard Kressmann, purchased the estate in 1871 and the Kressmann family own and run it to this day. In 1930, the striking art-deco inspired label was created. Also in 1930, the word 'Martillac' was appended to the name to avoid confusion with any other Château Latours there might be. They produce both red and white Pessac-Léognan, with Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot vines being grown on the slightly higher gravel soils of the Martillac plateau above the château and Merlot, Sauvignon and Semillon growing on the clay/limestone land nearer the River Garonne.
Please make sure that you have read the terms of this offer which are different from those on the main website. If you are unclear as to what is involved in primeur purchases please do contact our private client team via email or on 020 7018 0187.
Ordering
Prices are all in bond by the case size stated.
Pre-Orders are a firm commitment to buy wines on release, as long as the release price is within the upper and lower price bands set by you on the pre-order form. Pre-orders will be fulfilled subject to availability but providing this firm commitment to buy effectively gives you priority and is a good idea for the most desirable wines.
Wines listed on the website can be ordered in the usual way via the website wishlist order form. You can also send orders directly to our private client team via email. Please note that, for the most sought-after wines, priority will be given to those who ordered the same wines last year and to those that have pre-ordered.
Confirmation
All orders will be confirmed by email and are binding unless written cancellation is received within seven days of email confirmation. Pre-orders are not binding if the release price is above your upper price band.
Invoices are all raised at the in bond price (excluding any duty and VAT) which will become payable at the prevailing rates when the wines arrive in the UK, should you wish to take duty paid delivery.
Payment is required on sight of invoice, by cash, cheque, debit card or bank transfer. We regret we cannot accept credit cards for en primeur orders. We reserve the right to apply a dunning charge of 2% per month on invoices unpaid after 30 days.
Delivery
- Shipment to our bond (at LCB Creek Road) and insurance are included in the in bond price.
- Delivery is free to Lea and Sandeman / Elephant storage accounts, both duty paid and in bond.
- Other deliveries (In Bond and Duty Paid) are also free subject to a minimum order from the offer of £500. Orders below this total will be charged an administration and handling fee of £16.50+ VAT when invoices are issued. We will group deliveries and this is a charge for your entire purchases, not a per-case charge.
- Delivery of 2022 Bordeaux bought en primeur is expected during 2025. Delivery dates may vary as wines are shipped from Bordeaux at different times.
Practical notes - how it works
We start a sale in each customer's name and add all their primeur orders to one sale which is invoiced at the end of the campaign (or when the customer wishes). Immediate payment of invoices is then required by cash, cheque, debit card or bank transfer. We and our customers find that having a single invoice for the vintage is the simpler option but please note that confirmed orders are still binding even if the final invoice has not yet been issued.
Please specify on your wishlist order form where you would like the wines shipped on arrival in the UK. If this is to a third-party bonded warehouse, please specify the relevant account details. If the wines are required duty-paid we will issue a second invoice for duty and VAT at the prevailing rate when the wines are available for delivery.
Half-bottles, Magnums and larger bottles.
One of the additional advantages of buying en primeur is being able to order the wine in the format you want. While most of our listings are for 75cl bottles, we can source wines in any format that is offered by the Château. Please note that format requests cannot be changed once wines have been invoiced. Additional charges for special formats do apply and are as follows:-
- +£18.00 per case of 12 half-bottles
- +£30.00 per case of 24 half-bottles
- +£7.50 per case of 3 Magnums (2 bottles equivalent, 1.5 litres each)
- +£11.00 per case of 6 Magnums
- +£45.00 per individually boxed Double Magnum (4 bottles equivalent, 3 litres)
- +£60.00 per individually boxed Imperial (8 bottles equivalent, 6 litres) for Salmanazars, Balthazars, Nebuchadnezzars and Melchiors please enquire for availability and price.
Storage Options:
Wines bought en primeur won't arrive in the UK until 2025. If you do not wish to take home delivery at that point, you may wish to consider where you would like the wines shipped. Lea & Sandeman offers duty paid and in bond storage through a dedicated storage company called Elephant Storage. For more details on the terms and fees associated with storage please go to our Storage Homepage or contact our private client team for more information.