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 varieties responded better to the grafting than others and these varieties—Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet franc, Merlot, Semillon, Sauvignon blanc and Muscadelle—became Bordeaux's leading grapes. Due to the lucrative nature of this business, other areas in France began growing their own wines and labeling them as Bordeaux products. As profits in the Aquitaine region declined, the vignerons demanded that the government impose a law declaring that only produce from Bordeaux could be labeled with that name. The INAO or Institut National des Appellations d'Origine was created for this purpose. In the twentieth century, the French wine market saw the effects of over