2003 Chateau Malartic Lagraviere

The autumn and winter brought low rainfall and a cold spell. The earliness of this vintage was signalled by a bud-break around 25 March with flowering in late May, when scorching temperatures arrived and continued until late August. Despite almost permanent water stress during the summer period, the deep roots, structure of the subsoil and careful leaf thinning enabled us to benefit from the situation without suffering from any of the potential drawbacks. Due to the weather conditions, veraison began exceptionally early. When fully ripe, the grapes had excellent sugar levels, and good colour and tannin concentration, and, despite the high temperatures, the acidity was of an entirely acceptable level to give balance to the future wine. The outstanding characteristic of this vintage was the exceptional fruitiness of the grapes, both in terms of intensity and complexity at the time of harvest, which saw the grapes in perfect health.

Deep, dense crimson with hints of brown. The intense, refined nose is elegant, complex and powerful. Starting with spicy, roasted notes, it develops beautiful dark fruit, with Morello cherries and a hint of minerality. In the mouth, the attack is powerful and rich, evolving into a dense, fruity voluptuous mid-palate. The structure is supported by very silky tannins, extending into a long, flavourful finish. Despite the unusual weather conditions, this is a very appealing wine, with roasted notes of tobacco and undergrowth typical of Malartic.