The 2019 Château Malartic-Lagravière showed brilliantly, with an elegant, pure, flawlessly balanced style. Giving up ripe black cherry, currants, tobacco leaf, and spicy oak, with textbook Graves scorched earth, it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, a beautiful layered, seamless mouthfeel, great tannins, and one heck of a great finish. It's not a blockbuster, but it excels on its elegance, balance, and complexity. Readers will love to have this in the cellar, and it will keep for 20+ years.

Very sleek, featuring cassis, mulled plum and raspberry coulis flavors, laced with licorice, alder and sweet tobacco notes. Offers a subtle sous bois hint that peeks in on the finish, so this isn't for the longer haul but is tasty now. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. (JM)

The 2019 Malartic Lagravière was picked from 17 September to 11 October at 46hl/ha and sees 65% new French oak for an intended 18 months. It has a lovely bouquet with disarming blackberry, briary and subtle marine scents, just a whiff of brine in the background from the distant Gironde estuary. The palate is medium-bodied with extremely fine tannins that frame the layers of blackberry, raspberry and orange rind notes. Satin-like in texture, this feels reassuringly long in the mouth with a dab of white pepper on the aftertaste. What an outstanding Malartic from the Bonnie family. Tasted from three bottles.

Very complex aromas of dark berries, mushrooms, earth, flowers and incense. Crushed stone, too. Full-bodied with very fine, refined tannins that are caressing and beautiful. It’s very, very long and persistent in the finish with subtle and complex flavors. This will deliver beauty with age.

Aromas of raspberries, blackcurrants, charcoal and forest floor preface the 2019 Malartic Lagravière, a medium to full-bodied, fleshy and charming wine that's lively and elegant, built around bright acids and fine, powdery tannins. This has turned out nicely in bottle and shows good potential for improvement in the cellar. (WK) 92+