Château Latour-Martillac : Grapecap 1884 2021

Tasting notes and advice for the Grapecap 1884 2021 cuvée from Château Latour-Martillac

Tasting

Nose
The nose reveals, as it opens up, subtle fruity fragrances and fresh verbena.

Palate
The palate is juicy, marked by notes of apricot, almond and finely toasted hazelnut.

A rare wine from an exceptional terroir and century-old vines

The estate

The Château Latour-Martillac, located in Martillac within the Pessac-Léognan appellation, boasts a rich history dating back to the 12th century. Run by the Kressmann family, the estate stands out for its commitment to sustainable viticultural practices and the preservation of its old vines.

The vineyard 

Taking its name from the Latin gratum caput meaning « Precious Vine », Grapecap is a vin de France produced exclusively from the oldest parcel of Château Latour-Martillac. 2021 is the first vintage of this exceptional bottle.

Planted in 1884, this 65-are vineyard lies on clay-limestone soils benefiting from natural drainage and optimal exposure.

The vintage 

A very wet winter was followed by a mild, dry spring with only 40 mm of rainfall in March-April. After several frost episodes in April, flowering took place evenly in early June. The relatively cool summer saw heatwaves in late July and mid-August.

Winemaking and aging

Hand-harvesting followed by whole-bunch pressing with separation of free-run and press juices. Alcoholic fermentation in barrel, QTT (a specific type of oak barrel incorporating an innovative technology based on the presence of molecules called QuercoTriTepenosides) and Wineglobe. Aged for 15 months on lees, including 10 months in French oak barrels, split between one-wine barrels, new QTT barrels and Wineglobe.

Grape varieties

Sémillon (96%), muscadelle (3%), other grape varieties (1%) including ugni blanc, folle blanche, melon, gamay and chasselas.