2014 Château Moulin-à-Vent La Rochelle
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The 2014 Moulin-à-Vent La Rochelle is showing beautifully at the moment with vivacious Morello cherries, strawberries, loam and floral elements on the nose. This is clean and precise. The palate shows great clarity, very well balanced with a fine bead of acidity. Very elegant, finishing sensual and silky smooth with blood orange, white pepper and brown spice notes. Excellent.
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Jancis Robinson MW
Julia Harding MW, jancisrobinson.com
More reviews and scores
Deep ruby. Powerful, deep-pitched raspberry liqueur, cherry and floral pastille aromas are lifted and sharpened by a peppery element. Rich and fleshy but energetic as well, offering appealingly sweet red fruit and spicecake flavors that show excellent concentration and are given spine by juicy acidity. Smoothly plays power off vivacity and finishes very long and sappy, with silky tannins lending shape and gentle grip.
The 2014 Moulin A Vent la Rochelle comes from deep granite soils with around one meter of clay populated by 80+-year-old vines. Because of the low yields it is mainly destemmed. It has an attractive bouquet with blackberry leaf, cranberry, cold stone and a touch of fig lending a more exotic bent compared to the domaine's other 2014s. The palate is medium-bodied with crisp tannin, nicely structured, strict at the moment and focused, perhaps needing to exude a little more fleshiness and fruité towards the saline finish. Stern for a Moulin-à-Vent, I would give this 2-3 years in bottle
One of the few fully south-facing terroirs. Poor in organic matter. Some clay that brings complexity and minerality. 2.8 ha here acquired 2012. 5% whole bunch. Dark, peppery fruit but so fragrant on the mid palate. Liger-Belair interjects: ‘I would like to have some La Rochelle’. Shows oak a little more on the palate – thicker texture. Needs more time. Terrific freshness and promise. (JH)