Chateau Malartic-Lagraviere of Pessac-Leognan is one of only six Bordeaux chateaux that have both red and white classified wines.

Originally Domaine de Lagraviere, the estate was purchased at the end of the 18th century by the family of Count Hippolyte de Maures de Malartic, an admiral who served in the French Navy. The estate was then bought in 1850 by Madame Arnaud Ricard, who added the name Malartic to that of Lagraviere as a tribute to the former owners.

Located on the oldest wine-producing terroir in Bordeaux, Chateau Malartic-Lagraviere’s vineyard is on a high terrace of 8-meter-deep gravelly soil over limestone and clay. It covers 53 hectares planted with Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon.

in 1998, the winery became one of the first to adopt a fully gravity-driven grape transport system. 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.

After blending, the wine is left to age in a 1200-barrel capacity air-conditioned cellar with controlled humidity levels. 25 to 35% of the barrels are replaced every year with new ones from the best coopers.

The red wine of Malartic-Lagraviere is typically 50+% Cabernet Sauvignon and 38–45% Merlot with the remainder Cabernet Franc and/or Petit Verdot. Michel Rolland serves as consulting enologist.

The 2018 Malartic-Lagravière is a Bordeaux Blend from the Pessac-Léognan sub-region of Bordeaux, France. This red wine, produced by Malartic-Lagravière, is composed of 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot, and 3% Cabernet Franc, and it has an alcohol content of 14.0%. The wine is sealed with a cork closure.

Wine Enthusiast's Roger Voss awarded the 2018 Malartic-Lagravière an impressive score of 96, noting that despite its weight, it is a "well-crafted wine" with "sophisticated tannins" and "dense black fruits." He suggests that the wine has considerable potential and recommends drinking it from 2026.

Decanter's review also highlights the wine's complexity and precision, crediting the Bonnies’ vineyard work and the vines’ maturity. Awarding it a score of 93, Decanter describes the bouquet as comprising "herbs and lavender," with flavors of "cocoa and tobacco." The review mentions that 2018 was a year of contrasting weather, with a wet spring followed by a hot summer and autumn, resulting in "perfect ripeness conditions."

Jeb Dunnuck, who rated the wine 94, describes it as "an outstanding wine" with a "deep purple hue" and flavors of "cassis and blackberry fruits intermixed with lots of graphite, gravelly earth, violets, and spring flower-like aromas." Dunnuck praises its balance and purity, stating it can be enjoyed now or cellared for up to 15 years.

Vinous’ Neal Martin also rated the wine 94, describing it as having an "intense bouquet with copious red cherry, blackcurrant, and blueberry fruit." He noted that the oak is prominent but balanced by sufficient fruit, resulting in a "sumptuous" wine with impressive density.

Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate gave the wine a score of 92, highlighting its "medium to deep garnet-purple color" and flavors of "stewed black and red plums, boysenberries, and cassis." The review mentions the wine's "firm, grainy texture" and savory finish.

Wine Spectator’s review, scoring the wine 91, describes it as having a "fresh, forward style" with flavors of "bing cherry preserves, plum sauce, melted red licorice, and singed vanilla." They recommend drinking it now through 2030.

Jeff Leve from The Wine Cellar Insider awarded the wine 95 points, noting its deep color and flavors of "licorice, smoke, tobacco, coffee, and roasted deep red fruits." He suggests cellaring it for 5-7 years and enjoying it for two decades thereafter.

James Suckling, who rated the wine 94, mentions aromas of "blackberry, hot-stone, and blueberry," with a full body and "chewy, dusty tannins." He recommends giving the wine three to four years to come together, suggesting it be tried after 2024.

Overall, the 2018 Malartic-Lagravière is highly praised for its complexity, depth, and potential for aging, making it a standout vintage from Bordeaux.