Château Malartic Lagravière, Cru Classé, Pessac Léognan, 2012
The Bonnie family, originally from Belgium, but now very much at home in Pessac Leognan are making excellent wines at Malartic Lagraviere. Brooding and dark on the nose with hints of tar, black fruit gums and chocolate box interspersed with little red berries. The palate is svelte and pure with a core of cassis with notes of raspberry and cranberry. There is good structure and the tannins have been well worked. There's lots of potential here.
critic reviews
Medium to deep garnet colored, the 2012 Malartic Lagraviere Rouge features expressive scents of baked plums and stewed cherries with hints of dried herbs, unsmoked cigars, and mossy tree bark. The medium-bodied palate delivers plenty of juicy black fruits with a soft texture and earthy finish.
The 2012 Malartic Lagravière has an open-knit bouquet, quite "airy" in style, with more blue fruit than its peers, perhaps more floral and almost Margaux-like. The palate is medium-bodied with a fleshy opening, fine acidity, taut and fresh with an attractive bitter edge towards the finish. Drink now, but it should keep for another decade, possibly more. Tasted blind at the Southwold Ten-Year On tasting.