Malartic Lagravière rouge - Pessac-Léognan 2020

Alexandre Ma

96 / 100

byAlexandre Mathe4/18/2023

Wine Spectator

92 / 100

byJames Molesworththe3/31/2023

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.

Jeb DUNNUCK

95 / 100

byJeb Dunnuckthe3/30/2023

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.

The Wine Cellar Insider

96 / 100

byJeff Levethe3/22/2023

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.

Alexandre Ma

95 / 100

byAlexandre Mathe3/15/2023

Wines Critic

95 /

byRaffaele Vecchionethe3/10/2023

Sensual and captivating showing notes of lavender, hibiscus, guaranà , rose petals, pomegranate, mandarin blossom and karkadè. Full bodied, very soft tannins and a warm, enveloping finale of a spicy nature. Better from 2025.

Vinous

95 / 100

byAntonio Gallonithe2/24/2023

The 2020 Malartic Lagravière is fabulous. Dark, ample and explosive, the 2020 offers an exciting mélange of dark fruit, lavender, spice and licorice. Even with all of its obvious size, the 2020 retains terrific freshness and plenty of delineation.

Vinous

95 / 100

byNeal Martinthe2/15/2023

The 2020 Malartic-Lagravière, which represents just 40% of the total production, was cropped at 26hL/ha. It has a very delineated nose with intense blackberry, raspberry, sous-bois and incense aromas that just "sing" of Pessac-Léognan. The palate is medium-bodied, finely-knit tannins, fresh and vibrant with beguiling purity. Harmonious and silky smooth, it belies the depth and complexity of this marvelous Malartic. This is superb and it will mature beautifully in bottle.

Jamessuckling.com

95 / 100

byJames Sucklingthe1/16/2023

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.

TASTED

94 / 100

byAndreas Larssonthe7/6/2021

Fine nuance, toasted oak and ample ripe fruit, yellow fruit notes with a grassy and herbal spiciness, textured and broad with fine layers and a long powerful finish.

La Revue du Vin de France

92-93 / 100

the6/7/2021

De grande ampleur, le fruit est parfaitement préservé dans son éclat, avec de très belles touches florales. La chair est intense, pulpeuse, sans mollesse, le toucher de bouche admirablement satiné. Le deuxième millésime conseillé par Éric Boissenot est bien dans la lignée du 2019, il s’exprime peut-être un peu plus en largeur que son prédécesseur.

Le Figaro

94-96 / 100

the6/2/2021

Un nez profond de fruits noirs, légèrement épicé, qui invite à aller plus loin. Une bouche satinée, parfaitement équilibrée, entre présence et discrétion, se prolongeant par une finale de chocolat

Vinous

93-95 / 100

byAntonio Gallonithe6/1/2021

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.

Jeb DUNNUCK

93-95 / 100

byJeb Dunnuckthe5/28/2021

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.

Vinous

94-96 / 100

byNeal Martinthe5/27/2021

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.

Decanter.com

94 / 100

byJane Ansonthe5/25/2021

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.

The Wine Cellar Insider

96-94 / 100

byJeff Levethe5/21/2021

Dark garnet in color, the wine grabs your attention with its display of flowers, currants, espresso, smoke, licorice and incense. Full-bodied, rich and concentrated, the wine is lush and polished, with waves of opulent dark fruits that keep on coming. Fresh and expansive, creamy and deep, this is going to rival many of the best vintages produced here. Give this at least 5-7 years in the cellar and enjoy it for the following 2 decades after that. 96-94

Wine Advocate

92-94 / 100

byLisa Perrotti-Brownthe5/20/2021

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.

Anthocyanes

93-95 / 100

byYohan Castaingthe5/11/2021

Bien qu'un peu grillé, le nez recèle de belles notes de fruits noirs frais, de cassis et de violette pour une gourmandise assumée. En bouche, c'est frais, juteux, la texture est charnue et les tanins légèrement structurants. Un beau millésime pour cette propriété en pleine évolution stylistique.

Bernard Burtschy

94-95 / 100

byBernard Burtschythe5/10/2021

Falstaff

92-94 / 100

the5/10/2021

Dunkles Rubingranat, violette Reflexe, dezente Randaufhellung. Feiner Edelholz- touch, reife schwarze Herzkirschen, ein Hauch von Pflaumen und Feigen, zarte Kräuterwürze im Hintergrund. Saftig, elegant, wieder feine Kirschennoten, integri- erte, seidige Tannine, bleibt gut haften, ein harmonischer Speisenbegleiter.

My Bettane + Desseauve

94 / 100

by Bettane & Desseauvethe5/7/2021

Jamessuckling.com

93-94 / 100

byJames Sucklingthe4/23/2021

Lots of blackberry, cherry and walnut aromas and flavors. Some tar, too. It’s full-bodied with chewy tannins that are polished and energetic.