An outstanding wine, the 2018 Château Malartic Lagraviere (57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot, and the rest 3% Cabernet Franc) offers a deep purple hue as well as beautiful cassis and blackberry fruits intermixed with lots of graphite, gravelly earth, violets, and spring flower-like aromas and flavors. Beautifully balanced, medium to full-bodied, with ripe tannins and impressive purity of fruit, it's another gorgeous 2018 that can be drunk today or cellared for 15 years.

The 2018 Malartic Lagravière is powerful, rich and explosive, all while retaining a mid-weight sense of structure. Black cherry, plum, gravel, chocolate, leather, lavender spice and licorice all run through this driving, juicy Pessac Léognan. I very much admire the weight and substance here. The blend is 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc, with the Cabernet very much front and center. Tasted three times.

Composed of 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc and aged in 70% new oak barriques, the 2018 Malartic Lagraviere has a medium to deep garnet-purple color and pronounced notions of stewed black and red plums, boysenberries and cassis on the nose, with hints of hoisin, dried Provence herbs and unsmoked cigars. The medium-bodied palate has a firm, grainy texture and just enough freshness to support the black fruit preserves flavors, finishing savory.