2009 | Chateau Chasse Spleen | Moulis-en-Medoc

Now in its peak drinking window, this offers classical notes of black cherry, blackberry, wild herbs and tobacco.

Reviews:

• Wine Advocate: 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.

• Wine Spectator: 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.

Producer Information

Château Chasse-Spleen is a winery in the Moulis-en-Médoc appellation to the west of Margaux. It has long been viewed as the leading estate in that appellation – alongside Château Poujeaux – and is widely regarded, if not of being at cru classé standard, then certainly as holding a place among the top wines just beneath the classification. It was selected as one of six Crus Exceptionnels in the Cru Bourgeois classification in 1932 and maintained that status until the annulment of the classification in 2007. The wines are prized for their well-balanced fruitiness across a range of vintages. A second wine, L'Heritage de Chasse-Spleen, was known as L'Ermitage before 2000. L'Oratoire de Chasse-Spleen is the third wine. A white wine is also made, featuring around two-thirds Semillon to one-third Sauvignon Blanc. The 80 hectares (200 acres) of vineyards are planted with around 70 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, mostly on gravel, and 25 percent Merlot in areas with a strata of clay under the gravel or with clay over limestone. The remaining five percent is planted to Petit Verdot. Plantings are very dense at 10,000 vines per hectare. The different varieties are fermented in stainless steel or epoxy-lined concrete vats of 18,000 liters, and then aged for up to 18 months in barriques. The different components are then blended and fined with albumen, or egg whites - a traditional fining agent, before bottling. The estate was formed in 1820, when the Grand Poujeaux estate was split into two parts: Poujeaux Gressier and Poujeaux-Castaing. The latter was renamed as Chasse-Spleen in 1863 following further divisions. The name refers to the wine's quality and ability to "dispel the spleen", a phrase said to have been uttered by Lord Byron during his visit to Poujeaux-Castaing in 1821. The estate has also been linked to French poet Baudelaire, known for his main work, Les Fleurs du Mal (The Flowers of Evil) which contains numerous works entitled "Spleen". Although the estate cultivates poetic connections – recent labels bear snippets of poetry – there is unfortunately no concrete evidence either poet visited the estate. The estate was purchased by Jacques Merlaut in 1976 and has been managed since 2000 by his granddaughter, Céline Villars.

DISCLAIMER** This is a single item listing unless otherwise noted in the description. Retailer advises either in stock or in route to their location. Usually ships within one to four business days. Longer processing times may occur especially around holiday(s). Some items may become backordered or delayed without notice due to demand & will ship out upon arrival. Overseas 700ml products typically have longer processing/transit times. You can always verify product availability by calling 1-888-548-0333. Please refer to our cancellations & returns agreement or reach out to our support team at help@caskcartel.com for any additional questions.

Our dedicated team specializes in creating personalized shopping experiences. If you’re looking for a specific item or collection that isn’t appearing on our marketplace, please reach out to us at concierge@caskcartel.com or fill out the product inquiry form and one of our dedicated team members will be in touch.  Whether it’s a product you’ve experienced while traveling or a rare, hard to find item you’ve been searching for, we have an established global network of retailers with the ability to locate and source the rarest and hardest to find products.