Our Professional Review
Dinner tonight was at a friend's house out of the City. We had Salad, great dressing (Salt, Pepper, Sugar, Olive Oil, lemon, Sherry Vinegar), which amazed us because everyone was tempted to drink it 😀, sirloin steak, and creamy roasted small potatoes. The first sips of the Malartic were just wonderful. Fresh fruit flavors enveloped our mouths, pure and delicious.
This is a wine so well made it felt uncomplicated because of the impact of pure fruit, of course that is the art, complicated made to taste uncomplicated. Over dinner the Malartic developed into a richly complex and layered wine; flavors began to appear: herbs, spices, and background oak and tobacco, yet always fruit driven. If you want to have something really special we recommend this with 10 glasses!
-Dorothy & Bernie, Follow the Drinker®
Expert Review - Vintage 2021
The Wine Enthusiast 95 Points | This is a beautifully structured and textured wine, with rich black fruits that exude style. It is an impressive wine from an estate that is at the top of its form. Drink from 2027.
James Suckling 94 Points | A bright, vibrant nose full of minerals and fresh red cherries, olives and a hint of pencil shavings. The silky tannins are fresh and tidy, with spot-on succulence, finesse and linearity. Svelte and long. The tannin quality deserves recognition.
Decanter 93 Points | Sleek and pristine and nice crystalline element to this, it's light and lean, certainly driven from start to finish in one line but this has a sense of finesse and not trying too hard. I love the salty finish, a touch of black tea and some liquorice elements. Good weight and balance, lots of great drinkability here with a lovely lift on the finish that many do not have. Fun, friendly and really sustains. A great effort.
Vinous by Neal Martin writes 92 Points | The 2021 Malartic Lagravière, which has a little more Cabernet Sauvignon than usual, has an attractive bouquet—not amazingly intense, yet delineated with predominantly black fruit, black olive and light estuarine scents. It feels focused, though without the frills. The palate is medium-bodied with a touch of orange rind on the entry. Finely integrated oak here lends this Pessac-Léognan an appealing silky texture, and it fans out gracefully toward the finish. This feels like it has evolved nicely during its barrel maturation, and it should drink well for 20 to 25 years.
Jeb Dunnuck 92 Points | Black raspberries, redcurrants, tobacco, and floral/violet notes all emerge from the 2021 Château Malartic-Lagravière, a medium-bodied, supple, incredibly elegant 2021 with fine tannins. This layered, elegant Péssac-Léognan will surprise in the cellar due to its overall balance. The 2021 is 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon, and it saw a slightly shorter maceration than normal (21 days) and was brought up in 65% new oak.
The Wine Advocate 90+ Points | A blend of fully 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot, the 2021 Malartic Lagravière offers up aromas of sweet berries, plums, burning embers and warm spices, followed by a medium to full-bodied, ample and powdery palate that's impressively concentrated, refined and elegant. It's a fine effort from an estate on the rise.
Memo Summary Notes
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Red Meats: Grilled ribeye with a bordelaise sauce or herb-crusted lamb.
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Game: Venison or roasted duck with a cherry reduction.
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Earthy Sides: Wild mushroom risotto or truffled mashed potatoes.
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