Château Malartic-Lagravière - Pessac-Léognan - Grand Cru Classé de Graves - 2019 | French Red Wine

Château Malartic-Lagravière is situated on a high terrace that has been deeply etched by the Eau Blanche stream and its tributaries. It sits on 8-meter-deep deposits of gravelly soil dating from the Quaternary period. The evocative name of ‘Lagravière’ underlines the great quality manifest in the soils of this vineyard, reputed for its location on the finest gravel hillock in Léognan.

Whilst the layer of gravel makes for excellent surface drainage, the shell-rich limestone sub-soil, made up of fossils from warm seas and veins of clay, store large amounts of water. This ensures an adequate supply for the vine, even during the most severe droughts. The permeable soil, perfect amounts of sunshine and limited vulnerability to the vagaries of the weather are all favourable factors. These have been further enhanced by the ‘sur mesure’ – tailored approach to the management of the vines that has been pursued by the Bonnie family ever since their arrival.

Designed with architect Bernard Mazières in 1998, the winery was one of the first to adopt a grape transport system entirely by gravity: after manual harvests and double sorting on vibrating tables, grapes are transported to the vats and then to the barrels only by gravity.

The vat room is also highly innovative. Its octagonal layout houses 20 stainless steel vats and 10 wooden ones, all conical and temperature-controlled. Being small, each one can accommodate the fruit from specific plots for individual vinification.