A polished and approachable Saint-Julien showing the classic finesse of the Léoville Poyferré team. Aromas of cassis and blackberry are layered with subtle notes of hazelnut, iron and warm stone. Medium-bodied and well balanced, the palate offers supple tannins, fresh fruit and a gently chewy, loamy finish. Designed to be enjoyed earlier than the grand vin, this 2012 is drinking well now, delivering elegance, balance and immediate pleasure rather than long-term power.

James Suckling | JS 89-90
Published: Apr 20, 2013

A balanced wine with fine tannins and pretty fruit. Currants and hazelnut character. Medium finish. Fresh. 

Wine Spectator | WS 89
Published: Mar 31, 2015

Offers a fleshy feel, with notes of cassis and blackberry fruit layered with iron, charcoal and warm paving stone notes. Presents a slightly chewy, loamy backdrop on the finish, but there's enough fruit to power through. Cellar to let this unwind fully. Best from 2017 through 2023. 5,148 cases made.

Jancis Robinson | JR 16.5
Published: Feb 10, 2022
Drink: 2018-2026

Tasted blind. Certainly rich! And polished. Lots of current pleasure here. But not for the long term.

Winemaker

Chateau MOULIN RICHE expresses its own personality with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Supple tannins make the wine more approachable in its youth.

We have just made an assembly. You saw what it represented an assembly; it'srelatively simple. In fact we take samples of lots separated who each have a personality and we try to marry them. So it'sas simple as a wedding and it'scomplicated as a wedding at the same time, because you have to find the right synergies. We have lots of elements, we can put them together, it never gives the same result at the end.

The role that I have, and that we all have because you have seen that it is a team effort - even if no one in the end disputes when I find that we have the right blend - but it'sstill a team effort, so our role is to try to find the potential of each wine and the potential that each wine is capable of bringing to this blend, which will in fact be the identity of the property in a given vintage.

Technical Specs

Alcohol: 13.0%
Closure: Natural Cork
Vintage: 2012
Oak: French oak barrels
Varietals: 69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 7% Petit Verdot, 4% Cabernet Franc
Vineyard: Château Moulin Riche estate, approximately 22 hectares in Saint-Julien, planted on Garonne gravel and sandy soils
Harvest: Began on 8 October 2012
Vinification: Hand-harvested grapes, carefully sorted manually and optically; parcel-by-parcel vinification in temperature-controlled vats
Ageing: Aged in French oak barrels; exact new-oak proportion and duration for this vintage not confirmed
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 30–60 minutes before serving
Food Pairing: Roast beef, lamb, venison, duck, steak, braised beef, mushrooms, truffle and mature hard cheeses