Bright cassis, graphite, candied violets, and exotic flower nuances all emerge from the 2025 Château Malartic-Lagravière, which checks in as a blend of 57.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 39% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot, and 0.5% Cabernet Franc, all of which is being raised in 50% new French oak. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has a pure, focused mouthfeel, fine, polished tannins, and a great finish. It's a beautiful, layered, pretty Pessac-Léognan with remarkable charm and character.

Enjoyable, sappy, plenty of lift and dark fruit, incense and sandalwood, you can see the structure and shape of the tannins and it is very much a wine where the acidity is controlled, giving a really juicy mouthfeel, great energy, definition and precision. Excellent job.