Château Moulin Riche 2020

An open, inviting style, with warmed plum sauce and blackberry notes mixed with light anise, apple wood and cocoa accents. Plush, accessible finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2032.

Vibrant, deep and darkly fruited, with a touch of prune and raisin but also lots of herbal-edged blackcurrant and black cherries. Liquorice stands out, as do wet slate, pencil lead and salty, stony notes; there’s a lot going on here. It’s not quite there in terms of harmony, but I like the impression. It still feels a little tense and youthful, while showing delightful perfumed elements and a crushed velvet texture. Broad and long, this feels like it will be super-seductive in a couple of years.

Focused and fine, with graphite, tar, blackberries, dried herbs and tobacco smoke on the nose. It’s medium-bodied, with excellent balance and very fine tannins. Sleek and seamless. 48% cabernet sauvignon, 29% merlot and 23% petit verdot. Try in 2025.

The 2020 Moulin Riche is fabulous. Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot notes are dialed up, giving the 2020 tons of dark fruit and savory character. Merlot adds a more suave dimension to balance out the blend. Deep, layered and wonderfully expressive, Moulin Riche is superb. There's so much exuberance here, but also tempered by the freshness of the year.

Perhaps the top value in the appellation is already delicious in your glass thanks to its creamy-textured black cherries, chocolate, espresso blackberries, and spice. Forward, round, and ready to drink, give it 30 minutes of air and it’s even better. Drink from 2024–2037.

Deep ruby, purple reflections, discreet brightening on the rim. Fine blackberry confit, dark cherry, savory tobacco underneath, some fig in the background. Medium complexity, a touch of plum, integrated tannins, good freshness, mineral finish.

While the second wine is brought up all in used barrels, the 2020 Château Moulin Riche sees 30% new French oak. Mostly Cabernet Sauvignon (65%) yet with a good chunk of Merlot and Petit Verdot, this classic, impeccably made Saint-Julien has pure red and blue fruits, some almost Pauillac-like cedar pencil and tobacco notes, medium to full body, and outstanding length. A beautiful wine, it will evolve for 15 years or more.

Delicate blueberry bouquet paired with dark precious wood, Brazilian tobacco and a subtle hint of lilac. On the full palate, a soft texture, fleshy extract, a tightly knit tannic frame, and a medium, slightly rustic body. The focused, finely aromatic palate shows black-berry contours, tarragon, and a fine, powdery astringency with subtle, crunchy notes in the background.

Kunz barrel sample 2021: spicy, austere bouquet, cassis, blackberries, fine woods, smoke. Powerful, aromatic, bourgeois palate with fine-sandy tannins, dark fruit, muscular structure, dark aromatics, austere finish.

Spicy, herbal bouquet, cassis, blackberries, fine woods, smoke. Powerful, aromatic, bourgeois palate with fine-grained tannins, dark fruit, muscular structure, dark aromatics, herbal finish. 17/20 2026 - 2042

20ha property owned by the Cuvelier family of Léoville Poyferré since 1920, here proving that this is a family collection of impressive wines. Lovely texture, bright fruit with clarity and cheerful, sappy raspberry and cassis notes. Harvest from September 14 to 30, 35hl/ha yield, 25% new oak. Winemaker Isabelle Davin, consultant Michel Rolland.

The 2020 Moulin Riche is deep garnet-purple in color. It opens with pronounced notes of crème de cassis, wild blueberries, and juicy blackberries, with suggestions of clove oil, chocolate mint, and tree bark. The medium-bodied palate is busting with spicy black fruit preserves, supported by plush tannins, finishing with impressive length.

We have a soft spot for the balance of the 2020, very fresh and finely crafted, with velvety tannins and a lovely brightness on the finish. The balance is superb, with a beautiful burst of fruit on the finish. A complete wine.

Marked by subtle notes of blackberry and elderberry, Moulin Riche also reveals nuances of graphite as well as freshness. With good density, the wine is supported by fleshy tannins while the acidic structure imparts a crisp, refreshing tension. With a luscious, creamy character, Moulin Riche is harmonious, persistent, and sapid.

Under the same ownership as Léoville Poyferré, the wine is made to the same high standard. It has layers of black fruits and tannins in the background. It is young but will develop relatively quickly. Drink from 2025.