2017 Moulin du Cadet
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The 2017 Moulin du Cadet has developed beautifully over the course of its élevage. Black cherry, blackberry jam, bittersweet chocolate, new leather, licorice and spice all jump up from the glass. Racy, flamboyant and ripe, this extroverted, opulent Saint-Émilion is bold, in your face, and flat-out delicious. It is also surprisingly light on its feet for such a big wine. The 2017 finishes with lifted floral overtones. Tasted three times.
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Average Score
Neal Martin
Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate
More reviews and scores
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.