The 2016 Moulin Riche, a blend of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot, and 11% Petit Verdot, is a refined second wine from Saint-Julien, offering a seductive bouquet of black cherries, plums, and a touch of vanilla. With a smooth and opulent entry, it evolves into a precise and focused wine with tight tannins, hints of currant, dark berries, and basil-leaf. It showcases the generosity and freshness of its unique terroir, making it an excellent option for near-term enjoyment with a decade's potential.

The Wine Advocate | RP 90-92
Published: Apr 28, 2017
Drink: 2021-2034

The 2016 Moulin Riche is a blend of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot and 11% Petit Verdot and matured in 30% new oak. It had a very opulent, ravishing bouquet with perhaps just a little more volatile acidity than some of its peers, although that will be contained by the time it is in bottle (it is not something that particularly bothers me in a wine's infancy). The palate is very smooth on the entry with succulent black cherries and black plums, a smear of vanilla and a gentle grip on the minerally finish. This will be a seductive Deuxi?me vin that should give a decade's worth of drinking pleasure. 

James Suckling | JS 92
Published: Jan 15, 2019

This shows focus and precision with currant, dark-berry and basil-leaf character on both the nose and palate. Full-bodied, tight and precise. Try after 2022. 

Leoville-poyferre.fr

Further west, in the Saint-Julien area, Château Moulin Riche is made from a single block of 20 hectares. It is this terroir, unique and different from that of Léoville Poyferré, which inspired its revival, guided by the intuition of Didier Cuvelier. The wines express the generosity and freshness of the Saint-Julien terroir.

Technical Specs

Alcohol: 13.0%
Closure: Natural Cork
Vintage: 2016
Oak: French oak barrels, 30% new oak
Varietals: 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot, 11% Petit Verdot
Vineyard: Château Moulin Riche estate, a 20-hectare vineyard in Saint-Julien, planted on Garonne gravel and aeolian sand soils
Harvest: 2016 harvest, hand-picked grapes carefully sorted before vinification
Vinification: Parcel-by-parcel vinification in temperature-controlled stainless steel vats, with careful extraction
Ageing: Matured in French oak barrels, 30% new oak
Winemaker: Didier Cuvelier and the Château Léoville Poyferré winemaking team
Region: Saint-Julien, Bordeaux, France
Appellation: Saint-Julien AOC

Serving Temperature: 16–18°C
Decanting: Decant for approximately 1 hour before serving
Food Pairing: Roast beef, lamb, venison, duck, steak, braised beef, mushrooms, truffle and mature hard cheeses