CHÂTEAU MALARTIC LAGRAVIÈRE

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. Rating: 95 James Suckling, www.jamessuckling.com (Dec 2022)

The 2020 Malartic Lagravière is a powerful, tightly wound wine. There is perhaps a bit less opulence than in years past, but that just gives the wine an extra kick of energy and vibrancy that is quite attractive. Inky red cherry fruit, rose petal, spice, cedar and cinnamon all grace this beautifully taut wine from the Bonnie family. Tasted three times. Drinking range: 2030 - 2045 Rating: 93-95 Antonio Galloni, www.vinous.com (Jun 2021)

The 2020 Malartic Lagravière, whose picking was completed on September 24, before the rains, has a bright, vivid nose of mineral-infused red fruit mixed with hints of blueberry and cassis. Very focused and precise, this is an aromatically sophisticated Pessac-Léognan. The palate is medium-bodied with graphite-tinged black fruit, hints of wild mint coming through, and lively and tensile toward the finish. This is one of the best vintages of Malartic Lagravière that I have encountered out of bottle. Ignore at your peril. Drinking range: 2025 - 2050 Rating: 94-96 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (May 2021)

Based on a blend of 50.4% Cabernet Sauvignon, 47.8% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc that hit 14.2% natural alcohol, the 2020 Château Malartic-Lagravière offers a gorgeously pure nose of both red and blue fruits as well as lots of floral and mineral nuances. Still aging in 65% new French oak, it's medium to full-bodied and has the vintage’s rich, concentrated style yet gorgeous purity of fruit as well as ripe, polished, building tannins. It's one seriously good 2020 that will impress with short-term bottle age and keep for 25 years or more. It's up with the crème de la crème of the appellation. Tasted three times with consistent notes. Rating: 93-95 Jeb Dunnuck, www.jebdunnuck.com (May 2021)

Concentration and intensity to the cassis and bilberry fruits. Well expressed, carefully extracted and there is good balance with a crushed mint freshness on the finish. Really starts to show subtle floral edging with time in the glass. It has a silky texture and a finessed fresh core that holds interest from beginning to end. Another successful year at this estate. Tasted twice, and this is one of the successes of the appellation. A yield of 26hl/ha (24hl/ha Cabernets, 28l/ha Merlots) compared to 46hl/ha last year. 65% new oak, harvest from 9 to 24 September. Second year with Eric Boissenot as consultant. Drinking range: 2029 - 2044 Rating: 94 Jane Anson, Decanter (May 2021)

50.4% Cabernet Sauvignon, 47.8% Merlot, 1.8% Cabernet Franc. Dark purplish crimson. Much more mineral than fruity on the nose. But very luscious fruit on the palate. With racy texture and notably fine tannins. Strongly saline finish. Distinctive and already rather appetising. Approachable young. 14.2% Drinking range: 2026 - 2042 Rating: 17 Jancis Robinson OBE MW - www.JancisRobinson.com (Apr 2021)