Château Malartic-Lagravière Pessac-Léognan Rouge 2018

Located at the gates of Bordeaux, Château Malartic-Lagravière is located on the oldest winegrowing terroir in the region. The estate, which resides on the most beautiful hillside of Graves, became a Classified Growth in the 1959 Classification of Graves… only one of 16 chateaux in the region to receive the honor and one of only six to be classified for both their reds and whites.

Domaine de Lagravière was purchased in 1803 by Pierre de Malartic and was renamed to Malartic-Lagravière in the 1850s after Pierre’s uncle, a French colonial governor and Navy admiral, which is signified by the boat in their logo. In 1996, the property was acquired by Alfred-Alexandre and Michèle Bonnie, who invested nearly $20M to renovate and modernize the estate. From vineyard replanting and expansion to meticulously renovating the château, the Bonnies spared no expense. Today, the Château is managed by Alfred-Alexandre and Michèle’s daughter Véronique and son Jean-Jacques and his wife Séverine. The property consists of 73 hectares of vines in soils composed of fine gravel, shell limestone and clay, planted to Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot for their reds and Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon for their whites. The vineyards are tended with a broad agro-ecological philosophy with sustainability being a key focus since 1997 (HVE certification was earned in 2015).

Predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, complemented with Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Deep purple in color, aromas of blue and black stone and berry fruit with hints of graphite and violets waft from the glass. The full-bodied palate is rich and powerful, yet graceful. Juicy flavors of black– and blueberries, currants and cherries are accompanied by notes of sweet tobacco and cocoa. Ripe, silky tannins and the perfect amount acidity allow this wine to glide to a lovely, lushly textured finish that goes on for minutes on end.