Château Moulin Riche 2023

Intense nose, very charming on the palate, creamy texture, precise tannins, red-fruited finish. Will be enjoyable early.

Fragrant and appealing on the nose, lovely scents of fresh flowers – roses, raspberries and dark cherries. Smooth, soft and supple, with a lovely succulence and balance of weight, tannins and acidity on the palate. Juicy and alive, the tannins are fine and slightly grippy – just coating the mouth, giving freshness and direction. Appealing plum and cherry. Balanced and friendly – the vintage suits this wine. A top-value pick.

Full bottle 1,348 g. A property owned by the Cuvelier family of Ch Léoville Poyferré, in the norh-west of the appellation. 49% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 18% Petit Verdot. Inky dark crimson with a touch of purple at the rim. Rich, dark fruit, sweeter-smelling than the M de Moulin Riche: blackberry, blackcurrant, cherry and a hint of blueberry. An impression of oak char and spice. Quite oaky on the palate – spice and dark chocolate – with a firmness to the smooth but thick tannins. Generous, rounded and with surprising freshness on the finish. Even if the oak is a little forward and dominant at the moment, it is well balanced and extremely drinkable, even in youth (but with food). Not quite as floral as the M (which has so much more Petit Verdot) but that floral character is still there. Impressive depth of fruit with a firm grip and an attractive bite of freshness at the very end. Tannins become more chewy as you sip but they are polished and harmonious. It’s clearly more ambitious than the M, if the level of oak is an indication of that, but I think the M offers more pleasure, especially since it is likely to be less expensive. (JH)

Cherries, licorice, plums, and blackberries are on display in the floral-oriented nose. The wine is medium-bodied, soft, fresh, fruity, lively, and round. The finish delivers a nice polish to the end notes. You can enjoy this on release, and for at least a decade, or more after that. The wine is a blend of 49% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, and 18% Petit Verdot. Drink from 2026-2037. 90-92 pts.

49% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 18% Petit Verdot. Intensely red-berry bouquet, blackcurrant nectar, red cherries, light graphite and delicate tobacco notes. On the generous palate, a soft texture with energetic drive, very dense and precise, the body remaining arrow-like elegant. In the concentrated, never-ending finish: red berries, profound minerality and a noble astringency. In Saint-Julien there were no downy mildew issues, but hail is becoming an ever bigger problem!

Great quality, and likely to be great value, wine, combining unfussy and fully ripe fruit with supple tannins and a dash of gourmet grilled cocoa bean edging. One to look out for. 3.7ph, Isabelle Danvin winemaker, Julien Viaud consultant, cellar master Didier Thormann. 52hl/ha yields, biggest since 2004.

A lovely fruity nose, precise, racy, and harmonious, offering fine, accurate concentration and a certain silkiness. It reveals notes of boysenberry, juicy/crisp redcurrant, and, more lightly, violet, with touches of cornflower, dry gravel, a discreet hint of cubeb pepper, and a floral nuance. The palate is beautifully juicy and well defined, fruity, with smoothness, gourmandise, a tangy backbone, fleshiness, and a pleasingly elongated profile. It shows notes of pulpy/juicy raspberry, small pulpy/juicy blue fruits and, more lightly, a racy minerality, with hints of star anise, nutmeg, toast, a subtle floral note, graphite, and cocoa. The tannins are plush, gourmand, and sapid. A subtle firmness on the finish/persistence. A subtle infusion-like character in the background—bright, pulpy, and fleshy.

Juicy and direct, with açaí and blackberry compote backed by roasted vanilla and cocoa notes that let the fruit keep the upper hand. Shows a light mesquite echo on the open, accessible finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2033. 2,550 cases made.

The bouquet of Moulin Riche moves within a sphere of subtlety, where floral and fruity nuances combined with ageing notes create a harmonious whole. The creamy touch on the attack goes hand in hand with the wine’s freshness. The overall impression is elegant and well-balanced. The tannins make themselves felt from mid-palate, providing a reliable structure. A mouthwatering, flavoursome wine that can already be enjoyed in its youth, though it still deserves a little time to open up.

Very dark, purplish colour. A lovely nose, with an aroma that is more subtle and more precise than ever. Raspberry notes. Supple on the attack and throughout the palate, with energy and brightness; the wine caresses the palate, full-bodied, flavourful on the finish and very good. Blend: 49% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 18% Petit Verdot. Alcohol: 13.4% - pH: 3.70 - IPT: 69. Yield: 52.78 hl/ha.