Château Malartic Lagravière 2020

At the heart of the Bordeaux region, the Domaine de Lagravière has always been distinguished by the quality of its terroir. Acquired at the end of the 18th century by Count Hippolyte de Maurès de Malartic, from an ancient noble family of Armagnac, this domain witnessed glorious maritime exploits.

Indeed, Count Malartic, a devoted servant to the Kings of France, distinguished himself as an admiral in naval battles against the English worldwide, notably during the Battle of Quebec in 1756. In 1850, Madame Arnaud Ricard, heiress of the domain, added the name Malartic to Lagravière in homage to its illustrious predecessors. Under her leadership, the domain experienced a period of prosperity, marked by the addition of small vineyard parcels and careful management. For nearly 140 years, the domain remained in the family, passed down through generations and primarily managed by women. In 1947, Jacques Marly took the reins of Malartic-Lagravière after marrying a descendant of Madame Ricard. His involvement in local wine-growing life, notably during the Graves classification in 1953, contributed to the domain's renown. In 1990, the domain came under the stewardship of Champagne Laurent-Perrier. Under this new direction, the domain embarked on quality work with the creation of the second wine, Le Sillage de Malartic. However, the renovation projects necessary to preserve Malartic-Lagravière's Cru Classé status were not successfully carried out. In 1997, the domain regained its former splendor when the Brussels couple Alfred-Alexandre and Michèle Bonnie acquired it. They undertook a complete renovation, building a new cellar and restoring the château. The vineyard was expanded, giving the domain its current dimension.

Since then, under the leadership of Véronique and Jean-Jacques Bonnie, the domain is committed to adapting its viticultural practices to contemporary challenges. They also aim to transform this magical place into a space open to visitors, offering an immersive and unforgettable experience at the intersection of digital and terroir.

"The deep purple-black 2020 Malartic Lagraviere leaps from the glass with vibrant notes of Bing cherries, black raspberries, ripe plums and boysenberries, plus suggestions of pencil lead, wild sage and crushed rocks. Medium-bodied, the palate has lovely energy and freshness, offering a solid backbone of grainy tannins to support the lively red and black fruit layers, finishing savory.

The tentative blend is 50.4% Cabernet Sauvignon, 47.8% Merlot, and 1.8% Cabernet Franc, with only 38% of production going into the grand vin. The alcohol is 14% this year.

Commencing with the 2020 vintage, the estate has chosen a new bottle for the grand cru and second vin, highlighted by an engraved ship, the symbol of the estate." - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Advocate (5/20/2021), Ratings: 92-94, Drink: 2025-2045