Chateau Malartic Lagraviere 2020

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "Dark in color, the wine shows its blackberry, black cherry, dark chocolate, smoke, espresso, and an array of spice aromas on the palate with ease. Rich, full-bodied, vibrant, and intense. the wine is fresh as well as lush, and polished. Vibrant, expansive, creamy, and deep, this is going to rival many of the best vintages produced here. Drink from 2025-2048."

JAMES SUCKLING: "Blackberries and licorice with blackcurrants. Mushroom, too. Medium to full body. Creamy and soft tannins that are fine textured. Delicious finish. Racy, polished and sophisticated. Drink after 2026."

JEB DUNNUCK: "Coming in at close to equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, the 2020 Château Malartic-Lagravière is another brilliant 2020 Pessac-Léognan with loads to offer. Expressive notes of red and black fruit, sweet tobacco, lead pencil, and camphor all emerge on the nose, and it's medium to full-bodied on the palate, with a forward, seamless, sexy profile that already offers pleasure. The tannins are present yet integrated and perfectly ripe, it's balanced, and I suspect it will evolve for a solid two decades or more. Tasted twice. The blend is 50.4% Cabernet Sauvignon, 47.8% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc that hit 14.2% natural alcohol."

DECANTER: "Sweet and aromatic fresh black fruits and flowers on the nose. Sensual and nicely round on the palate, this has body and nuance with crunchy fruit that have a lovely almost sour tang to it, vibrant and vivid. Still has quite a dark, almost sombre core, brooding with liquorice and slate giving the dark tone as well as blackcurrant and black plum fruit. Feels sculpted though, gently muscular with power and precision. I really like this. You could drink this straight away such is the balance and overall flavour profile but it’ll age well. Impressive with lovely texture, weight and length."

THE WINE ADVOCATE: "Aromas of cassis, plums, pencil shavings and spices introduce the 2020 Malartic Lagravière, a medium to full-bodied, supple and seamless wine with a deep core of fruit, polished tannins and succulent acids. This nicely balanced, suave and flavorful Pessac will offer a broad drinking window."

FALSTAFF: "Tiefdunkles Rubingranat, violette Reflexe, dunkler Kern, zarte Randaufhellung. Zart nach Gewürznelken und Vanille, reife Zwetschkenfrucht, kandierte Orangenzesten und Nugat. Saftig, rote Kirschfrucht, integrierte Tannine, mineralisch-salzig im Abgang, gute Frische, bereits entwickelt und zugänglich."

WEINWISSER: "Verhaltener Beginn, zarte rotbeerige Konturen, Rosenholz und Brasiltabak. Am mittleren Gaumen mit weicher Textur und reifer Extraktfülle, stützender Rasse und sehnigem Körper. Im gebündelten Finale Zwetschgen, Wacholder und zarte Wachsnoten. Braucht noch Zeit, Trinkreife nach hinten gesetzt."

WINE SPECTATOR: " Ripe and plush, with a light frame of sweet toast gently guiding the core of cassis and plum puree along, while subtle iron and red tea notes peek in. Nicely focused for the vintage. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Drink now through 2034. 5,800 cases made."