Château Malartic la Gravière is a class act, a Classified growth of Graves, one of the oldest terroirs of Bordeaux, and one of only six properties in Bordeaux to be classified for both its red and white wines.  

The appellations of Graves and Pessac Léognan have the huge advantage in being known for the quality of their white as well as their red wines, which is rare in Bordeaux where red wines make up over 80% of the production. 

Purchased by the Bonnie family in 1997, Chateau Malartic La Gravière is a family affair, with the parents Alfred and Michèle now joined by their children; their son Jean-Jacques and his wife Séverine since 2003 and, since 2006, their daughter Véronique and her husband Bruno.  

In 2005, the family invested in the neighbouring vineyard, Château Gazin Rocquencourt, one of the oldest properties in Pessac-Léognan, and in Diam Andes in Mendoza, Argentina. 

Graves in French means gravel, the only appellation in Bordeaux to be named after its soil or terroir and Malartic La Gravière lives up to its name sitting on an 8-meter-deep gravel outcrop. 

Innovation. 

A lot has changed in the 20 years of ownership. Designed in 1998, the wine cellar was already ahead of its time making the most of the lay of the land to build a split-level cellar, with semi submerged split level cellar, the barrel cellar underneath the vinification cellar using gravity to protect the grapes and the wine from aggressive pumping.

This was the first cellar in Bordeaux where I saw small hoppers being raised up above the tanks to release grapes directly into the tanks by gravity and the first time I saw a ‘turbo pigeur’ in action, a high-tech piece of equipment used for a perfectly controlled extraction. 

But innovation can be low tech too; they use 3 types of barrels (Bordeaux, Burgundy and 500 litre ‘fûts’ allowing for more precision in the ageing process.

High tech then but also a respect for history and for the land. 

Warm welcome 

The vineyard is ideally situated for wine tourism, just 15 kms from Bordeaux city. You wouldn’t know it is so close to the city as it is surrounded by nature. This natural environment is at the centre of the latest experience they share with guests. 

As well as the vineyard, the ancient woodland is classified and their new tour includes not only the vineyards but also the woods, farm and gardens to understand the protected ecosystem, the terroir and award-winning gardens (classed “Jardins Remarquables” in 2008). As with all the chateau experiences, it finishes with a tasting of the wines on the terrace of the family chateau. 

There are many visits and tastings on offer, you can even taste wines from both hemispheres in a side-by-side tastings of varietals and blends. 

A table 

Food is at the heart of their message as befits Bordeaux reputation as a food wine. The family open their doors, not only of the cellars but also the family home for food and wine tastings, lunches and cooking classes. 

Virtually there.   

During the first lockdown, the family was frustrated not be able to welcome guests to the property, not to travel to see clients and no tasting dinners to organize, so they went virtual, sending samples across the world to organize on-line tastings.

Working with wine journalist Joe Fattorini, known, amongst many other things as the wine guru of the TV series The Wine Show, they created a series of short videos around the history of Bordeaux under the theme ‘Le Grand voyage’. 

Refreshingly, instead of putting the emphasis on their wines and properties, they concentrated on the stories behind Bordeaux with simply a nod to the ship that graces their label. 

Keen to share their daily life at the chateau, they also worked with wine tour expert Wine Paths  to organize a virtual wine tour of the property. A successful initiative as Wine Paths have chalked up over 120,000 virtual wine tours in total! 

As they could no longer invite guests to their table, they decided to take the table to the guests and the idea of a book was born, The Four Seasons of Malartic, stories and recipes of the Bonnie family. 

Championed by Severine, all the family contributed, working with Robert Joseph, journalist and general wine inspirer to create a personal account of life at the chateau. 

It’s a personal family history, a look at the day-to-day life of a château punctuated by what each of the seasons brings to the estate, not only food but the activity in the cellars and in the vineyards. 

The Introduction by Alfred Bonnie sets the tone for me, with the revelation that his first sip of wine as a child was Sauternes. 

Available in English and French, it is nevertheless typically French with its emphasis on local and seasonal food traditions. There are some very typical Bordeaux dishes such as Omelette aux cèpes and confit de canard but also Belgian specialties reflecting their family story, moules frites and Stoemp (no me neither) and even Argentinian specialties. You can tell each member of the family has brought their favourites to the table. 

They are generous with their wine matching recommendations too, including not only their own wines but those of Bordeaux neighbours and further afield, and even a Belgian beer. 

It’s not all about food. Alongside the 24 recipes it covers wine service and tasting, but also the history of Bordeaux and the property, winemaking, vintage variations and it even touches on the challenge of climate change.  

The book is available at the chateau as a souvenir of your visit but also to order online both digitally and physically. Adding it to a wine delivery would make a great gift for wine and food enthusiasts. 

As Robert Joseph said, their idea was to go beyond the recipes, to take people on a journey of discovery of the property, the local traditions culinary and otherwise. 

It is a charming insight into the life of a family of wine makers and is more proof, if you still need it, that Bordeaux chateau doors are no longer closed but wide open, both physically (again), virtually and on the page. 

The 100-page full colour edition is for sale at 25 Euros for the physical book and 17.50 for the ebook from the chateau web site and local publisher Mollat. 

Both projects, Le Grande voyage and The Four seasons of Malartic were coordinated by the inspirational agency 5Forests.

Want to read more? If you have enjoyed this post please sign up here  to receive future blog posts directly to your inbox. If you would like to learn more about Bordeaux, you can buy your copy of Bordeaux Bootcamp here, to learn more about Wine and Wellness, you can buy your copy of The Drinking Woman’s Diet here.  

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