Château Malartic Lagravière, Cru Classé, Pessac Léognan,

Malartic-Lagraviere 2018 has a deep garnet purple color. It prances out with open-knit notes of blackcurrant cordial, blackberry preserves, and potpourri, with touches of unsmoked cigars and bay leaves. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has a good amount of muscular fruit and chewy tannins, finishing with an herbal lift.

The 2018 Malartic-Lagravière was a little variable when I tasted it from barrel. Now bottled, it has closed down on the nose, yet given a couple of hours' decant, it opens nicely to offer black fruit, sage, tobacco and subtle floral scents (iris and violet). The palate is well balanced with a dense entry and good acidity. It would benefit from a little more refinement and I still sense a scintilla of greenness on the aftertaste. Hopefully that will disappear with bottle age, because it deserves time in the cellar.