Château Latour-Martillac Château Latour-Martillac Château Latour-Martillac, previously Château La Tour-Martillac and known as Kressmann La Tour, is a Bordeaux wine from the Pessac-Léognan appellation, rated a "Cru Classé" (Classed Growth) in the 1953 Classification of Graves wine. The winery is located in the central part of France’s Bordeaux wine region Graves, in the commune of Martillac. The winery has produced a red second wine named Lagrave Martillac since 1986, and a dry white since 1990. A small fortified castle from the 12th century existed until the French Revolution, leaving only behind the tower that gives the estate its name. Viticulture first began
History of Bordeaux wine 1205, King Alfonso VIII of Castile laid claim to Aquitaine and put Bordeaux under siege. The village was able to withstand the attack and King John rewarded the Bourgeois with orders for wine in excess of 120 tons. In 1224, King Louis VIII of France attempted to purge the English from French soil and was halted in his advance in the town of Bordeaux. In the aftermath Bordeaux received privileged access to the English market through London, and their exports to the market soon dwarfed the production from other French wine making regions. During the 13th century, the Graves was