Château Chasse-Spleen 2009

This polished, precise red exhibits delicious mulled black cherry, sleek cassis and dark plum fruit, all inlaid with hints of toasted spice and mesquite. A nice flash of chalk helps give the finish cut. Drink now through 2015. 29,165 cases made.

Spice, herbs, earth and tart cherry aromas lead to a tight, tannic wine, with drying sensations on a red-fruit–dominated finish. Time may soften the tannins.

Deep purple. Intense cherry bouquet, notes of fine wood and cedar, coffee in the background. Well-built body, firm flesh, slightly angular, muscular astringency, sandy extract. Well crafted, promising potential, may gain further with time.

Deep purple, saturated at the core, with garnet glints at the rim. Intense cherry bouquet, notes of fine wood and cedar, coffee in the background. On the palate, a well-built body, firm flesh, slightly angular, showing muscular astringency, sandy extract. Well made, with promising potential. Can still gain a point. (17/20). 16: Medium purple, little maturity. Dry, strict bouquet, stone dust, earthy-iron note, seems introverted and shows discreet cherry-wood notes. On the palate, fleshy, dense, with a tannic flow, still rather primary and—despite the general 2009 profile—likely to remain on the demanding side as it develops further. This will remain a distinctive food wine. Decanting does it good!

Vegetal, bland bouquet with red berries and green wood. Hollow, bitter palate with dry tannins and little fruit. Dry finish. 16/20 2015 - 2022

The wine shows superb brilliance and an explosively fruity character; the 7% of Petit Verdot in the final blend brings plenty of energy to the whole. We find again the immediate charm and the savory appeal that have made Chasse-Spleen such a success. It is already delicious.

Dense, fairly compact, with a lovely line, fruit-forward, moderate tannins, and a nice fruity finish.

Tasted from magnum, this wine disappointed me with its lack of body and generosity in this great vintage.

Shows pretty plum and spice character, with full body, velvety tannins and a dried lemon and subtle fruit aftertaste. Rich and structured. Try in 2016.

90-92 Barrel sample. Dense tannins over delicious blackberry juicy fruit. A finely structured wine, good freshness and sweet aftertaste.

Beautiful blueberry, black raspberry and cassis fruit as well as incense and graphite jump from the glass of this inky ruby/purple-colored wine. Ripe, medium to full-bodied, dense and rich, this is one of the stars of Moulis in 2009. Given its low acidity but abundant tannin, I suspect it could close down in a few years and last two decades.