Malartic Lagravière 2022

The Bonnie family is on a roll at this excellent property. Dense and concentrated but with finesse and acidity, this has a beautiful balance, and a creaminess to the fruit that is superb. Appealing pulses of white pepper and sage spice, well drawn out through the palate, exceptional skill shown during ageing at controlling the oak impact. Yields in the low 30hl/h, but maintains freshness. Vinified in a mix of small wooden casks and stainless steel vats, aged in oak.

53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 43% Merlot, 2.5% Petit Verdot, 1.5% Cabernet Franc. Cask sample.Bright, healthy crimson. Rather polished and luscious in texture with very refined tannins and an impressive fruit/acidity balance. Not heavy but certainly harmonious.Drink 2027– 2042

The 2022 Malartic Lagravière has a graceful and delineated bouquet that shows more precision and nascent vibrancy than most of its peers. It has blackberry, raspberry and light violet petal scents and an underlying marine influence that becomes more vocal with time. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-boned tannins, offering impressive balance. This "cool" Pessac-Léognan has a sapid finish that draws you back for more. It is excellent. 2030 - 2065

The 2022 Malartic Lagravière was picked 5 to 29 September at 27hL/ha and matured in 60% new oak. Blackberry, iodine and incense aromas unfurl in the glass, nicely focused and delineated, quite airy in style. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins. Cohesive and powdery in texture, with black fruit, crushed stone and light ash-like notes toward the finish. This is an excellent, quite "swarthy" Malartic that will age with style, though it will only repay the patient. 2030-2065

A blend of 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 43% Merlot, 2.5% Petit Verdot and 1.5% Cabernet Franc, the 2022 Malartic Lagravière reveals aromas of cassis, blueberry, spices, graphite and menthol. Medium to full-bodied, round and concentrated with structuring tannins, it’s a dense, powerful, demonstrative Malartic Lagravière.

This is very, very fine with wonderfully polished tannins that are silky in texture. It’s medium- to full-bodied with lovely length, lasting a minute or two. Hints of crushed stone and fine sea salt. Finesse with structure. Could move up a notch with the elevage. 53% cabernet sauvignon, 43% merlot, 2.5% petit verdot, and 1.5% cabernet franc.

Deep plum colour, plush damson and black cherry, with a well textured grain to the tannins that stops things being overly sweet. This is a brilliant Malartic-Lagravière, just absoutely hits the spot between excess and restaint, so much detail and concentration to the fruit, and it manages to pull up just short of too much, delivering a cooler blueberry and mint leaf exit that draws things out through the palate and opens things up for a smoky woodfire soot edge. Total class.