2022 Malartic Lagravière

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.

Round, concentrated, vibrant and dynamic, a lovely burst of intense red and black fruits before quite serious tannins take hold in the mouth. Fine but full, they give the frame and the structure, setting the tone for a serious wine while the fruit and freshnes softly expand giving an aerial element to the finish. A lovely wine with intensity and detail, not the most demonstrative or juicy and appealing right now, but really well made and delivered. Supple, bright, chalky, chewy, this wine has intensity and precision. A little bit serious towards the end, the fruit just losing some focus, where it becomes more about the tannins and freshness but lots to like here with good potential. 1.5% Cabernet Franc. A yield 27hl/ha. HVE3 certified.

The 2022 Château Malartic-Lagravière does incredibly well in the vintage and offers a beautiful sense of freshness and elegance while still staying concentrated and textured. A blend of 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 43% Merlot, and the balance Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, it has an up-front, expressive style in its red and blue fruits as well as spring flower, tobacco, and graphite-like aromatics. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has ripe, polished tannins, fabulous overall balance, and a great finish. The purity and precision here are top-notch.