2017 Moulin du Cadet

Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, the 2017 Moulin du Cadet is a little tarry and broody to start, opening out to reveal baked plums and blackberry preserves at the core with hints of licorice and sautéed herbs. Full-bodied, the palate is impressively concentrated with a firm frame of ripe, rounded tannins and bold freshness lifting all that decadent fruit to a long finish.

The 2017 Moulin de Cadet is pure Merlot matured in 80% new oak. The bouquet does not quite have the "flow" or the harmony of its peers, just a little static by comparison. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, a fine bead of acidity, a little pinched perhaps with a short, slightly bitter finish that at least has a sense of tension.

Showing brilliantly, the 100% Merlot 2017 Chateau Moulin Du Cadet boasts a deep purple color as well as a ripe, sexy bouquet of creme de cassis, toasted spice, graphite, crushed flowers, and a distinct sense of minerality. Rich, full-bodied, and pure, it's well worth seeking out and is a rock star wine from this talented winemaker. This cuvee comes from a tiny 2.85-hectare vineyard that was purchased by the Lefevere family in 2015 and located on the upper plateau of Saint-Émilion. The soils are classic clay over limestone and the vines average 35 years in age. In 2017, yields were a tiny 30 hectoliters per hectare and fermentation spanned 28 days and the wine spent 16 months in 80% new French oak.