Château Malartic-Lagravière 2016

This is lovely, offering straw, white peach, chamomile and lemon curd flavors that glide through, with a glistening salted butter note gilding the chalk-edged finish. Drink now through 2021. 1,583 cases made.

Refined nose of fresh green apple, zesty grapefruit citrus, nuts and salty preserved lemon. Lovely vivacity and an intriguing finish.

Very bright and floral with plenty of passion fruit, kiwi and melon on the nose. Juicy and elegant with a stunning balance of fruit, delicate oak and elegant acidity that drives the very long, energetic finish. Drink or hold.

It’s a good combination of ripe, bright, yellow citrus, a drizzle of honey, a dash of vanilla, and a hint of grapefruit. The wine is juicy, crisp, and refreshing, with citrus on the finish.

Light yellow-green, silver reflections. Inviting white fruit on the nose, delicately floral with a hint of blossom honey. Complex, juicy apple fruit, fresh acidity, pleasant fruit sweetness and mineral notes on the finish. Has elegance and length.

Bright young straw colour. Intense nose, good purity and layers with fine oak, gently roasted notes, crushed nuts, ripe stone fruit, citrus comfit, beeswax and some floral notes. The palate is dense and flavour intense, fine texture with a fresh dose of acidity, mild extract/tannin, herb infused yellow fruit, citrus and a long pure finish.

A terrific white that’s up with the top efforts in the vintage, the 2016 Château Malartic-Lagravière Blanc comes from a 7-hectare vineyard in the Graves region and is 85% Sauvignon and 15% Sémillon raised in 55% new barrels. It has terrific freshness and purity as well as medium body, a concentrated, layered texture, perfumed notes of lemon curd, white grapefruits, and flowers, and a distinct sense of minerality. The whites in the vintage have a good mix of purity and richness, and this is a great example. It’s going to benefit from a year or two and drink well for at least a decade. Tasted twice, count me in as a fan.

Concentrated nose of yellow fruit and white blossoms, with flint and sandalwood in the background. On the mid-palate, sweet extract, mandarin, and a touch of apricot. It remains slender, with a chalky note in the focused finish.

Kunz barrel sample 17: (85% Sauvignon Blanc, 15% Sémillon, 34 hl/ha) Delicate, finely grassy bouquet, freshly cut grass, white peach, chives. Silky, finely structured palate with subtle fruit, ripe acidity, good aromatics, elegant structure, and a long, fresh finish. Has room to improve.

Fresh, finely creamy bouquet, peach, delicate apricot notes, lemon cream. Velvety, finely fruity palate with full fruit, fine ripe acidity, powerful aromatics, long, fresh finish. Can improve further. 17/20 2020 - 2038

The white 2016 Malartic Lagraviere races out with notions of fresh limes, yuzu zest, and white peaches, plus suggestions of paraffin wax and wet pebbles. Medium-bodied, the palate has intense citrus and chalky flavors, with a lively backbone and a long finish.

Highly original nose: smoke, boxwood, lily, white peach, citrus, resinous notes. Superb palate, fleshy and seamless, very aromatic, with refreshing citrus notes and great length.

The 2016 white is dense, floral and fleshy, yet it remains marked by a woody imprint that supports its finish. The potential is there.

Nose of yellow fruits, pineapple, boxwood. Fresh, spicy palate, length, elegant, very lovely wine.

Yellow with greenish highlights. An intense, complex bouquet with notes of cocoa beans, anise and freshly toasted bread. On the palate, the wine delivers on its aromatic promises. It has body, character and excellent aromatic expression. The latter is ideally supported by a lively, zesty structure. An intense, persistent finish with hints of mint and lemons. What a great success!

Light color. Moderately aromatic nose, with lightly smoky fruit and a touch of reduction. Don’t hesitate to aerate it, or even decant it. Delicate on the attack, then smooth at mid-palate, particularly fruity, the wine unfolds with savory intensity, fairly lively, with a peppery note in the flavor. It bounces back on the finish, sappy, deep, distinctive in its profile, and long.

Beautifully wood aged, with subtle hints of spice, this is an elegant, textured wine, ripe with white fruit tones and layered with intense, fresh acidity. Its bright highlights are tempered by warm fruitiness and by the mineral texture that promises aging. Drink from 2023.