Bordeaux 2010 at Two Years: Moulis & Listrac
It is not often that I manage to include the wines of Moulis or Listrac in any of my reviews, but as I explained in my introduction I have managed to broaden my coverage considerably this year, and so I have been able to take in a small selection of wines from these two communes. The vineyards of Moulis and Listrac are often described as lying between St Julien (to the north) and Margaux (to the south), thus suggesting they take a share of the grand sequence of gravel croupes that run along the length of the Gironde. As it happens this isn’t quite true, as the communes are in fact squeezed out, and lie slightly to the west, distant from the Gironde. Closer to the estuary are the communes of Cussac-Fort-Médoc and Lamarque, where the likes of Château Beaumont and Château Malescasse can be found, perhaps a clue as to why these two châteaux (and others nearby) give such great quality and value at times.
Having said that, there are some famous and very worthy names here, especially in Moulis, which sits just to the south of Listrac and is the smaller of the two communes. Two old favourites from this part of Bordeaux include Château Chasse-Spleen, of which I have found memories of many vintages, back to 1989, as well as Château Poujeaux, an estate which often matches and indeed surpasses the quality of lesser cru classé châteaux. The 1997, for example, was a revelation, a wine of amazing quality for such a troubled vintage. Château Clarke and Château Maucaillou are also well known, although in this tasting it is the first two of this quartet that I preferred, the two communal ‘leaders’ having turned out wines in keeping with their reputations.
