Chateau Malartic Lagraviere, Pessac-Leognan Grand Cru Classe, Rouge 2019

Very complex aromas of dark berries, mushrooms, earth, flowers and incense. Crushed stone, too. Full-bodied with very fine, refined tannins that are caressing and beautiful. It’s very, very long and persistent in the finish with subtle and complex flavors. This will deliver beauty with age. Drink after 2025.

The 2019 Château Malartic-Lagravière showed brilliantly, with an elegant, pure, flawlessly balanced style. Giving up ripe black cherry, currants, tobacco leaf, and spicy oak, with textbook Graves scorched earth, it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, a beautiful layered, seamless mouthfeel, great tannins, and one heck of a great finish. It's not a blockbuster, but it excels on its elegance, balance, and complexity. Readers will love to have this in the cellar, and it will keep for 20+ years.

Precise, chiselled fruits and tannins, this is concentrated wIthout being overpowering. Enjoyable En Primeur and absolutely living up to its promise, with Pessac glamour that knows where to make an impression and where to pull back. Tons of dark blackberry and damson fruits, confident tannins, and waves of flavour that keep you engaged. 65% new oak. A yield of 46hl/ha. Harvest September 17 to October 11. Tasted twice, two months apart.

The 2019 Malartic Lagravière presents a refined nose of blackberry, raspberry, cedar and light estuarine aromas, very well defined and focused. The palate is framed by fine-grained tannins, and the pure blackberry and raspberry notes are laced with blood orange. Maybe just a little more granular in texture than before, but still wonderfully balanced, with great length and nobility. This will age with style. A sophisticated Pessac-Léognan with a lot of potential.

Lovely vivid bright red pink in the glass. Pronounced nose, rich and vibrant. On the palate, this is crunchy with density and chew, a nice combination of texture and bright fruit. Lively with blackcurrant, strawberry and red cherry flavours alongside soft hints of dark chocolate and perfume. Delicate but also layered with flavour. I like this a lot. Bright energy with a density that is bold yet refined and sculpted. The texture and overall balance is excellent and this will provide great drinking for the long term. Such a long length. Purity and power. Elegant with finesse, purity and power. Classic and well made.

The 2019 Malartic Lagravière is a showy, voluptuous wine. Racy and explosive, the 2019 certainly makes a strong first impression. Super-ripe dark cherry, plum, mocha, new leather, spice and licorice abound. As always, Malartic is a pretty forward, succulent Pessac-Léognan, but the 2019 is a bit strict today. Whether that is the vintage speaking or a slight change in style, we will see.

The 2019 Malartic Lagraviere is a blend of 55.9% Cabernet Sauvignon, 41.3% Merlot and 2.8% Cabernet Franc, harvested from the 17th of September to the 11th of October. The wine is aging in French oak barrels, 65% new, for approximately 18 months. Deep garnet-purple colored, the nose leaps from the glass with exuberant notes of ripe blackberries, fresh black plums and boysenberries with hints of cedar chest, clove oil, violets and black licorice plus a waft of Sichuan pepper. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is packed with ripe, rich black fruits and a compelling spicy undercurrent, framed by firm, plush tannins and plenty of freshness, finishing on a lingering aniseed note. Very impressive!