Farr Vintners Logo

Malartic Lagravière 2018

RegionBordeaux
Subregion France > Bordeaux > Left Bank > Pessac-Léognan
ColourRed
TypeStill
Grape VarietyCabernet Sauvignon/Merlot

This Pessac Leognan Chateau has been making excellent wines in recent years under the management of owner Jean-Jacques Bonnie whose family purchased the property in 1997. The 46 hectare vineyard is planted with equal proportions of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot with 8% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot.

View all vintages of this wine | View all wines by Château Malartic Lagravière

Label

Tasting Notes

Freshness and depth to this wine with blackberry, blueberry and crushed-stone character on the nose and palate. Full and flavorful, yet with underlying reserve.

93/94
James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com, April 2019

Composed of 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc and aged in 70% new oak barriques, the 2018 Malartic Lagraviere has a medium to deep garnet-purple color and pronounced notions of stewed black and red plums, boysenberries and cassis on the nose, with hints of hoisin, dried Provence herbs and unsmoked cigars. The medium-bodied palate has a firm, grainy texture and just enough freshness to support the black fruit preserves flavors, finishing savory. Drink 2024-2040.

92
Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate (End of Mar), March 2021

Deep and rich in colour, this is more refined and subdued on the nose than some, with real focus, depth and layers. It needs time in bottle to unveil its potential as everything is curled up right now, from the blueberry and cassis fruits to the liquorice and chocolate touches. With time in the glass, the multitude of layers of spice and slate become apparent. It's a great quality wine that will not be rushed. 2% Petit verdot makes up the blend, with 70% new oak for ageing.

Drinking Window 2028 - 2045

95
Jane Anson, Decanter.com, April 2019

Diam 30 closure.
Tasted blind. Big and sweet. Really dramatically different from the norm here. Lots of exotically spicy promise. 14%
Drink 2028 – 2044

16.5+
Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com, February 2022

Black core, cherry rim. Ripe damsons and blackberries, rich in fruit. Ripeness showing in a touch of mint. Then the tannins really take over on the palate, dry and chalky, though there is some freshness here to suggest it will open to reveal more.
Drink 2024-2032

16
Julia Harding MW, JancisRobinson.com, April 2019

Wood smoke, camphor and fresh red fruits on the nose here. The palate is fresh, silky and medium bodied, with approachable and delicate tannins and a touch of pepper to add spicy complexity. Compact, well proportioned and approachable, avoiding excess heat or ripeness.

90+
Farr Vintners, Farr Tasting, April 2019

The medium-bodied 2018 Château Malartic-Lagravière comes from high-density plantings on gravelly soils and is a rough blend at this point of 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc representing only 55% of the total production. Elegant notes of dark fruits (cassis, blackberries), gravelly earth, and forest floor all flow to a seamless Graves that has good balance, some grainy tannins, good mid-palate density, and ample length. It’s certainly going to be an outstanding wine. Tasted twice.

91/93
Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com, May 2019

The oak is the main culprit here and it is responsible for bashing up the fruit. Too much furniture polish notes and too charry as well, this wine is unlikely to even out.

15.5+
Matthew Jukes, MatthewJukes.com, April 2019
Read more tasting notes...

This is a blend of 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc, to be aged for 18-22 months in oak barriques, 70% new. Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2018 Malartic Lagraviere gives scents of baked red and black cherries, warm blackcurrants and balsamic with touches of underbrush, moss-covered bark and tobacco. Full-bodied, firm and chewy in the mouth, it packs in the berry preserves with some pepper and spice sparks coming through on the long finish.

92/94
Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate (April 2019), April 2019
Please note that these tasting notes/scores are not intended to be exhaustive and in some cases they may not be the most recently published figures. However, we always do our best to add latest scores and reviews when these come to our attention. We advise customers who wish to purchase wines based simply on critical reviews to carry out further research into the latest reports.