Grand Cru Class\u00e9 of Graves – Red & White
\nPessac-L\u00e9ognan<\/p>\n
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\u00a0Jean-Jacques Bonnie<\/strong><\/h3>\n <\/p>\n
Gerda<\/span><\/strong>: Tell us about you…<\/em><\/span><\/strong>![](\"https:\/\/insidelaplace.rcassocies.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/chateau-1.png\")
<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\nJean-Jacques BONNIE<\/strong>: I am very easy and friendly but shy and reserved sometimes.<\/span><\/p>\nGerda<\/span><\/strong>: <\/strong>Quels sont les principaux d\u00e9fis auxquels vous \u00eates confront\u00e9s personnellement, dans la pratique de votre m\u00e9tier ?<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\nJJB<\/strong>: To adapt to climate changes, but also we have to know and appreciate this magnificent terroir.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n
\nHarvest 2021<\/strong><\/h3>\n <\/p>\n
Gerda<\/strong>: How did your harvest go?<\/em><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\nJean-Jacques BONNIE<\/strong>: <\/span>The 2021 harvest makes me think of an American movie from the 80s Lethal Weapon with Mel Gibson. The movie starts with a high-speed pursuit, there is a lot of suspense and the hero wins at the end. This is exactly like this vintage. It was stressful for the staff. The sanitary pressure was to its maximum and the summer chaotic but everything ended well.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nWe have had a little bit of frost but we immediately took off the frozen grapes. We did the same work at mid-verison to optimize the state of the vines. We also decided to order X-tri equipment (a machine that allows an automatic selection of the grapes by image vision<\/em>). Thanks to this equipment, we managed to remove 10 to 11% of the least colored grapes.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nThe cabernets are beautiful, probably better than 2020. We are going to do our blend with Eric Boissenot<\/strong> at the end of January. We will most likely put more cabernet in our Malartic. In the 70s, 55% of the blend was cabernet. We tend to be as much as possible close to that number now. Merlot has less power this year but it has a beautiful fruit.<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
\nThe brand Malartic Lagravi\u00e8re today and tomorrow<\/strong><\/h3>\n <\/p>\n
Gerda<\/strong>: What positioning (s) do you want for your brand (s)?<\/em><\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\nJean-Jacques BONNIE<\/strong>: <\/span>We want Malartic Lagravi\u00e8re to be known thanks to its exceptional terroir quality. We aim for excellence and our terroir deserves to be recognized as such. It takes time because many years pass between the production of a vintage and the moment when the customer discovers it in the glass. I am confident.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nG<\/em><\/strong>: How do your wines stand out, and are unique?<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\nJJB<\/strong>: Thanks to their freshness, tensions, and purity.<\/p>\nG<\/em><\/span><\/span><\/strong>: Which of your recent accomplishments would you like to share with your customers<\/span>?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\nJJB<\/strong>: We changed the name of our second wine: since vintage 2019 La R\u00e9serve de Malartic is becoming Le Comte de Malartic<\/strong>! In the 90s, the name was ‘Sillage<\/em>‘ which was not liked by the English population. This is why we chose, in 2007, the name of La R\u00e9serve de Malartic<\/em>. After a long reflection, we thought it will be more appropriate to call it Le Comte de Malartic<\/em> in relation to the history of the Ch\u00e2teau. It refers indeed to the former owner of Malartic Lagravi\u00e8re in the 18th century.<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/insidelaplace.rcassocies.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/etiquette-reserve.png\")
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The old front label of the Second win<\/p>\n
![](\"https:\/\/insidelaplace.rcassocies.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/etiquette-comte.png\")
<\/p>\n
The new front label of the Second wine<\/p>\n
G<\/em><\/span><\/strong>: What future project are you currently working on?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\nJJB<\/strong>: We are currently working on different technical projects such as eco-pasture. We have bought 15 goats which will be led by a shepherdess and shepherds … both Belgian. I even bought a trailer to transport them. When they have finished working in the vineyard, they will be brought to the park to graze on the grass. We already have 2 horses for the soil cultivation of our vineyards. The aim is to integrate the animals into the property.<\/p>\nG<\/em><\/span><\/strong>: How far along are your property(ies) in the “green transition”?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\nJJB<\/strong>: We are certified HVE3 (High Environmental Value 3), ISO 14001, and we are doing our best to be CRS (Corporate Social Responsibility).<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/insidelaplace.rcassocies.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/brebis.png\")
<\/p>\n
![](\"https:\/\/insidelaplace.rcassocies.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/1_chevaux-150x150.png\")
<\/p>\n
\nThe business<\/strong><\/h3>\n <\/p>\n
Gerda<\/span><\/strong>:<\/span><\/strong> What are your priorities in terms of business development?\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\nJean-Jacques BONNIE<\/strong>: <\/span>We have been asking about the sales statistics of our partner negociants for three years now. It could be surprising sometimes. Indeed, we are less distributed in Belgium than we thought (Bonnie’s family is from Belgium). We are well distributed in the rest of Europe and in Switzerland.\u00a0The UK has started to look at us with interest and for the US and China, there is certainly more to do. The main thing is to be distributed everywhere and it’s up to us to do our best to make the brand strong and to create a spread demand.<\/span><\/p>\nG<\/span><\/strong>: Do you plan for market or new releases in the near future?<\/em><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\nJJB: <\/span><\/strong>We sell 85% of our harvest in primeur. I do not want to artificially increase the prices, that is up to the market.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\nG<\/span><\/strong>:<\/span><\/strong> Which vintages should the market be interested in? and why?<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\nJJB<\/strong>: <\/span><\/span>I really like the 2014 vintage! It has a power that you would not imagine. It has a lot of freshness and pureness that are typical of Malartic. It is still young but delicious to drink now.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\nFor the white, I will say the vintage 2016.\u00a0It’s not a vintage you think of at first but it’s powerful with plenty of freshness too.<\/span><\/p>\nG<\/span><\/strong>: What sales support materials are available to distributors to promote your wines?<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\nJJB<\/strong>: <\/span>My wife S\u00e9verine manages the marketing part of the Ch\u00e2teau. We are very present on social media thanks to her. <\/span><\/span>She had the idea to create a cookbook during lockdown. We sent this book around the world to our customers. We wanted to stay present in their minds.<\/span><\/p>\nWe are developing tourism as well.<\/span><\/p>\nWebsite and instagram<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/insidelaplace.rcassocies.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Instagram.png\")
<\/a>![](\"https:\/\/insidelaplace.rcassocies.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/website.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n
\nThe bottle of your heart<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n <\/p>\n
Gerda<\/span><\/span><\/strong>: I<\/em>f you had one bottle of your heart?<\/em>\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\nJean-Jacques BONNIE<\/strong><\/span>:\u00a0<\/span>Ch\u00e2teau Malartic-Lagravi\u00e8re 2003<\/strong>: the vintage of the heatwave and my first vintage with my wife in Malartic.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nI remember that hot summer very well. We started harvesting our whites on August 19th! I slept on the floor to get some fresh air. Our cellar master had his first baby the day before, on the 18th! It was an intense and stressful atmosphere. Nevertheless, the terroir did its work, making us extremely proud of these 2003.\u00a0It was a great team effort!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
\nThe tasted Wines<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n <\/p>\n
<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\nJean-Jacques BONNIE<\/strong>: I am very easy and friendly but shy and reserved sometimes.<\/span><\/p>\n Gerda<\/span><\/strong>: <\/strong>Quels sont les principaux d\u00e9fis auxquels vous \u00eates confront\u00e9s personnellement, dans la pratique de votre m\u00e9tier ?<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n JJB<\/strong>: To adapt to climate changes, but also we have to know and appreciate this magnificent terroir.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Gerda<\/strong>: How did your harvest go?<\/em><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n Jean-Jacques BONNIE<\/strong>: <\/span>The 2021 harvest makes me think of an American movie from the 80s Lethal Weapon with Mel Gibson. The movie starts with a high-speed pursuit, there is a lot of suspense and the hero wins at the end. This is exactly like this vintage. It was stressful for the staff. The sanitary pressure was to its maximum and the summer chaotic but everything ended well.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n We have had a little bit of frost but we immediately took off the frozen grapes. We did the same work at mid-verison to optimize the state of the vines. We also decided to order X-tri equipment (a machine that allows an automatic selection of the grapes by image vision<\/em>). Thanks to this equipment, we managed to remove 10 to 11% of the least colored grapes.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The cabernets are beautiful, probably better than 2020. We are going to do our blend with Eric Boissenot<\/strong> at the end of January. We will most likely put more cabernet in our Malartic. In the 70s, 55% of the blend was cabernet. We tend to be as much as possible close to that number now. Merlot has less power this year but it has a beautiful fruit.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Gerda<\/strong>: What positioning (s) do you want for your brand (s)?<\/em><\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n Jean-Jacques BONNIE<\/strong>: <\/span>We want Malartic Lagravi\u00e8re to be known thanks to its exceptional terroir quality. We aim for excellence and our terroir deserves to be recognized as such. It takes time because many years pass between the production of a vintage and the moment when the customer discovers it in the glass. I am confident.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n G<\/em><\/strong>: How do your wines stand out, and are unique?<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n JJB<\/strong>: Thanks to their freshness, tensions, and purity.<\/p>\n G<\/em><\/span><\/span><\/strong>: Which of your recent accomplishments would you like to share with your customers<\/span>?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n JJB<\/strong>: We changed the name of our second wine: since vintage 2019 La R\u00e9serve de Malartic is becoming Le Comte de Malartic<\/strong>! In the 90s, the name was ‘Sillage<\/em>‘ which was not liked by the English population. This is why we chose, in 2007, the name of La R\u00e9serve de Malartic<\/em>. After a long reflection, we thought it will be more appropriate to call it Le Comte de Malartic<\/em> in relation to the history of the Ch\u00e2teau. It refers indeed to the former owner of Malartic Lagravi\u00e8re in the 18th century.<\/p>\n The old front label of the Second win<\/p>\n The new front label of the Second wine<\/p>\n G<\/em><\/span><\/strong>: What future project are you currently working on?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n JJB<\/strong>: We are currently working on different technical projects such as eco-pasture. We have bought 15 goats which will be led by a shepherdess and shepherds … both Belgian. I even bought a trailer to transport them. When they have finished working in the vineyard, they will be brought to the park to graze on the grass. We already have 2 horses for the soil cultivation of our vineyards. The aim is to integrate the animals into the property.<\/p>\n G<\/em><\/span><\/strong>: How far along are your property(ies) in the “green transition”?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n JJB<\/strong>: We are certified HVE3 (High Environmental Value 3), ISO 14001, and we are doing our best to be CRS (Corporate Social Responsibility).<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Gerda<\/span><\/strong>:<\/span><\/strong> What are your priorities in terms of business development?\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n Jean-Jacques BONNIE<\/strong>: <\/span>We have been asking about the sales statistics of our partner negociants for three years now. It could be surprising sometimes. Indeed, we are less distributed in Belgium than we thought (Bonnie’s family is from Belgium). We are well distributed in the rest of Europe and in Switzerland.\u00a0The UK has started to look at us with interest and for the US and China, there is certainly more to do. The main thing is to be distributed everywhere and it’s up to us to do our best to make the brand strong and to create a spread demand.<\/span><\/p>\n G<\/span><\/strong>: Do you plan for market or new releases in the near future?<\/em><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n JJB: <\/span><\/strong>We sell 85% of our harvest in primeur. I do not want to artificially increase the prices, that is up to the market.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n G<\/span><\/strong>:<\/span><\/strong> Which vintages should the market be interested in? and why?<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n JJB<\/strong>: <\/span><\/span>I really like the 2014 vintage! It has a power that you would not imagine. It has a lot of freshness and pureness that are typical of Malartic. It is still young but delicious to drink now.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n For the white, I will say the vintage 2016.\u00a0It’s not a vintage you think of at first but it’s powerful with plenty of freshness too.<\/span><\/p>\n G<\/span><\/strong>: What sales support materials are available to distributors to promote your wines?<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n JJB<\/strong>: <\/span>My wife S\u00e9verine manages the marketing part of the Ch\u00e2teau. We are very present on social media thanks to her. <\/span><\/span>She had the idea to create a cookbook during lockdown. We sent this book around the world to our customers. We wanted to stay present in their minds.<\/span><\/p>\n We are developing tourism as well.<\/span><\/p>\n Website and instagram<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Gerda<\/span><\/span><\/strong>: I<\/em>f you had one bottle of your heart?<\/em>\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n Jean-Jacques BONNIE<\/strong><\/span>:\u00a0<\/span>Ch\u00e2teau Malartic-Lagravi\u00e8re 2003<\/strong>: the vintage of the heatwave and my first vintage with my wife in Malartic.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n I remember that hot summer very well. We started harvesting our whites on August 19th! I slept on the floor to get some fresh air. Our cellar master had his first baby the day before, on the 18th! It was an intense and stressful atmosphere. Nevertheless, the terroir did its work, making us extremely proud of these 2003.\u00a0It was a great team effort!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n
\nHarvest 2021<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\nThe brand Malartic Lagravi\u00e8re today and tomorrow<\/strong><\/h3>\n
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\nThe business<\/strong><\/h3>\n
<\/a><\/a><\/p>\n
\nThe bottle of your heart<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
\nThe tasted Wines<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
![](\"https:\/\/insidelaplace.rcassocies.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Gerda-miniature.png\")
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