Château Moulin Riche 2021

Shows solid plum and black cherry fruit, inlaid with balsam wood and savory accents. Reveals a touch of grain on the finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2028. 2,661 cases made.

Red fruits, strawberries, red cherries, plums, raspberries and perfume – such an explosion of aromatics. Delicacy in terms of texture and overall appeal, it has an excellent balance between fine but filling tannins, acidity and the plush cool blue fruit. Sculpted, chewy and mouthfilling yet well restrained. It’s muscular in a sense but also charming at the same time with succulence and liquorice, clove and saline touches on the end showing the markings of the terroir. I love it. 3.85 pH. Tasted twice. Ageing 25–18 months in 25% new oak.

54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 19% Cabernet Franc. 24 hl/ha. Cask sample. Dark and reserved with a hint of spice. Juicy and textured with good mid-palate fruit. Firm tannic structure and length, so potential for some age. (JL)

Flowers, tobacco leaf, cherries and spice create the intriguing aromatics. On the palate, the wine is vibrant, soft and fresh, with elegant, ripe cherries and currants, and a nice snap of fruit on the finish. You can enjoy this upon release and for at least a decade after. The blend is 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot and 19% Petit Verdot. Drink from 2024–2035.

Strong ruby core with purple reflections, subtle brightening at the rim. Intense red wild berries, floral nuances and a hint of cassis. Juicy, elegant palate of fresh cherries, fine, ripe tannins, mineral and long-lasting, an appealing food companion.

As for the Grand Vin 2021 Château Moulin Riche, it brings more density and depth, with plenty of darker cherry and blackberry-like fruit interwoven with damp earth and pencil lead notes. Its oak is nicely integrated, it's medium-bodied, has ripe, polished tannins, and outstanding length. Give it 2–3 years and enjoy over the following decade.

Delicately structured, red-berried bouquet with seductive violet perfume, licorice and black pepper. On the generous palate, a soft texture, granular extract richness, salty, sapid extract and a taut, compact body. In the straightforward, well-structured finish, black-berry contours and dark graphite. Sara told me there is –25% Merlot; a saignée was carried out because, due to shatter, the berries were uneven and/or too thick, in order to “concentrate” the must!

As during En Primeur, this is a skilfully made, slender wine that highlights the savoury character of fruit in 2021 — blueberry, redcurrant, quince, fine tannins, gunsmoke. Harvest September 28 to October 12.

A blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot, and 19% Petit Verdot, the 2021 Moulin Riche is medium to deep garnet-purple in color. It flies out of the glass with bold notions of pomegranate, kirsch, and redcurrant, plus wafts of dried roses and tar. The light to medium-bodied palate is vibrant and refreshing, with a nice chewiness to the tannins adding to the mid-palate, finishing on a floral note.

The 2012 shows a fairly generous style, with lovely ripe fruit, a palate that’s still a bit tight, and classy oak. An alluring whole, flamboyant in style, which should evolve nicely.

A mineral, pure, clean and precise nose. Some bitter notes on the palate, followed by a delicious aftertaste, like a last-minute change of heart, which is softer, saline and succulent.

The nose is fruity, elegant, and offers good definition, fine juiciness, juicy/fresh fruit, and minerality. On the palate, this wine expresses notes of fresh/juicy bigarreau cherry and violet, and more subtly fresh/juicy small red fruits, along with fine hints of fresh blond tobacco, an imperceptible touch of vanilla, and a subtle hint of fresh licorice. The palate is fruity and offers minerality, good definition, juiciness, elegance, and a fine acidic backbone. On the palate, this wine shows notes of juicy/pulpy blackberry, raspberry, and, more lightly, fresh bigarreau cherry, combined with touches of violet and fresh tulip, discreet hints of fresh vanilla and nutmeg, and a subtle iodized note. Good length. The tannins are precise and finely supple. A touch of indulgence on the finish.

Logo on the cork: HD Dark, intense color. Very aromatic, precise, fruity nose, with good finesse. Delicately mellow on the attack, rich in flavors through the mid-palate, the wine melts on the palate. It develops into something delicious and smooth, with ripe fruit lingering on the finish. It’s very good. And what’s more, its ability to hold up in the air is remarkable.