The fact that Bordeaux remains perhaps the most lucrative region for discovering wines that offer both age and value has not gone unmentioned in our previous offers; that said, it is also true that you have to kiss a lot of frogs (aka taste a lot of mediocre wine!) before you find something that hits all the notes like today’s pitch perfect Médoc. Start with a highly regarded, and rated, vintage in 2015, and then throw in conscientious farming and top tier winemaking, and to finish it off you still need a “wow” factor like a super low price. Well folks, Moulin de Cassy checks off every box with aplomb. At close to a decade of age this bastion of classic, Left Bank elegance is in its peak drinking period, and yet still has lots of juice in the tank for additional cellaring. And the best news is that the incredibly great value means you can buy it by the case and enjoy it now and over the next few years!
Technically the Médoc region includes almost the entire Left Bank (excluding Graves and Pessac-Léognan), stretching from the city of Bordeaux up to the Point du Grave. However, the most prestigious Châteaux use their more specific commune appellations, such as Pauillac and Saint-Julien, so those that can only use the more regional generic “Médoc” appellation have been considered the more rustic, country cousins to the soaring, palatial estates upstream. But that perception should be changing, and it is starting to. Thanks to several decades of investment here, the Médoc, or what locals would call the “Bas-Médoc,” houses some of the best values in high quality, classically styled Bordeaux rouge in the whole region. And I do mean “rouge,” unlike Graves and Pessac, there is almost no white wine made here and what is does not qualify for the Médoc appellation.
The Bas-Médoc is a region of rolling hills that is just a few miles down the Gironde from the Haut-Médoc. Here the low lying river banks–drained centuries ago with help from the Dutch–of the famous appellations gain a little bit of elevation, and as such the soils are dominated by limestone and clay instead of the typical gravel that most associate with the area. This means that Merlot is just as important as Cabernet Sauvignon, and indeed the Moulin de Cassy is an even blend of the two. The vines are an average of 30 years old, and the balance of Merlot and Cabernet lead to what I think could qualify for a shot in the Webster’s dictionary under the title “Bordeaux Wine.” Really, this wine is textbook worthy, and deliciously so!
The fruit from the excellent 2015 vintage was fermented slowly in cement tanks, with maximum skin contact, before it was racked into French oak barriques (about 20% new) for 12 months of aging. As it enters its ninth year of age, the Moulin de Cassy is ready to impress. Serve it at cellar temperature in large Bordeaux stems after a quick 30 minute decant and it unfolds with all of the classic notes: Blackberries, plums, cassis, cherry liqueur, cedar, cigar box, pencil led, iodine, and a tiny hint of fresh mint are all present in droves. The body is medium-plus, and the tannins are perfectly integrated but still present enough to ensure that this wine will age well for at least another five years. Serve with a classic plate of steak frites and revel in your wisdom for loading up on this extraordinary value!
