Château Moulin Saint-Georges, 2022

"The 2022 Moulin St Georges has turned out nicely, retaining its bright, vibrant signature despite the warmth of the vintage. Offering up aromas of cherries, berries, bay leaf and a deft touch of toasty oak, it's medium to full-bodied, supple and velvety, with good density and cut and a penetrating, mineral finish. It's produced from a seven-hectare, west-facing vineyard opposite Ausone that always ripens some 10 days later than Ausone itself."

"This is a traditional blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc, with an élevage lasting 18 months in oak barrels, using 100% new oak, with a gentle toast. Sweet confit blackcurrants and blackberries on the nose, with black bean, rose petal and sooty complexities. The palate presents the same fragrant and cleanly defined fruit character, supported by a rich grip of tannins, very pure and firmly composed, with fresh acidity. A finely structured finish, with a rounding up of the tannins and fragrant fruit into a decent length. A very convincing Moulin Saint-Georges this year, elegant but with great cellaring potential. The confit concentration is matched by a higher alcohol here, declared on the label as 15%, which does not show on the palate. It will be fascinating to see how this ages."

"The 2022 Moulin Saint-Georges is a heady, deep wine. Blue-toned fruits, leather, licorice, mocha, spice and tobacco are all packed into the wine's mid-weight frame. Dense and quite potent, Moulin Saint-Georges will benefit from a few years in bottle, which will help it shed some baby fat. (2025)"