2016 | Château Chasse-Spleen | Moulis-en-Médoc | France

The emblematic Cru Bourgeois of Moulis — serious, ageworthy Médoc that punches into classed-growth territory.

Château Chasse-Spleen is the reference estate of Moulis-en-Médoc, an 80-hectare property whose name (legend says) came from Baudelaire. Its Cabernet-dominant wines are aged 18 months in oak and have long been considered to over-deliver — a Cru Bourgeois with the structure and class of far pricier neighbors. The 2016 is a classic, structured Left-Bank vintage.

Cru Bourgeois this serious, from a top vintage, is a connoisseur's value play. Structured, ageworthy, classed-growth quality → Margaux and St-Julien names cost multiples → at $72.99 you're buying Médoc structure built to cellar.

• ~73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 7% Petit Verdot
• Moulis-en-Médoc Cru Bourgeois; 18 months in oak
• 80-hectare estate — the benchmark of its appellation
• The classic, structured 2016 vintage

Deep cassis, graphite and cedar over a firm, fine-grained tannic core. Translation: dark, structured Médoc Cabernet with real grip and length — decant now or cellar a decade.

A benchmark Cru Bourgeois from a great vintage, priced well below its quality. Exactly the Bordeaux to lay down.