5 | Wine | $20 to $50, 2003

"The nose is intense and floral with hints of red fruit and oak not yet completely absorbed. The mouth is flavorful with immediate tannins that envelop and saturate the taste buds. This long, persistent wine has returning sensations of fruit and a note of fresh acidity that guarantees its longevity."

"Full gold. A perfumed, complex bouquet evokes dried pit fruits, honey and toasted nuts, with floral and beeswax accents adding complexity. Deep, fleshy and broad, offering chewy peach, pear skin and candied almond flavors lifted by gentle acidity. Closes with firm grip and very good persistence, leaving floral and honey notes behind."

"Like many former Bordeaux underachievers, Malartic-Lagraviere has been making beautifully elegant, classic/textbook Pessac-Leognans under a relatively new Belgian administration. Plum, cassis, smoked herb, tobacco, and licorice-like scents emerge from the medium dark garnet-tinged 2003. Dry tannins in the finish do not detract from the wine’s overall seductive personality. While this is not one of Malartic-Lagraviere’s finest successes over recent years, it is an excellent wine to enjoy over the next 10-12 years."