Château Chasse-Spleen 2011 - Cru Bourgeois

Bettane & Desseauve

About the wine:

A wine with a structured, spicy body. Its overall character is defined by its finesse. It has a licorice-like finish.

About the estate:

The Chasse-Spleen vineyard remains legendary, perched on the Grand-Poujeaux plateau with its Garonne gravel soils, where Cabernet Sauvignon dominates, giving the wines a distinct Médoc character. It is undoubtedly one of Moulis’s most renowned wines, one that one often imagines would be classified given the quality of its wines. These wines have a distinctive character, both fruity and spicy, yet always retaining a licorice-like freshness on the finish.

Decanter

Guide Hachette des vins

About the wine:

Deep and dark, the garnet color with violet hues hints at this wine’s youth, while its bouquet offers fruity notes underscored by a subtle woody undertone. Though the attack is supple and generous, the palate then reveals a dense tannic structure that becomes slightly austere on the finish. All signs point to a brief spell in the cellar to allow the tannins to mellow.

About the estate:

The first estate acquired by Jacques Merlaut (1976), co-founder of the Taillan Group, Chasse-Spleen owes its fame in part to its name, which is said to have been suggested to the owner at the time by the Bordeaux painter Odilon Redon, illustrator of *Les Fleurs du Mal*, or by Lord Byron, a lover of the estate’s wine, “which is unmatched in dispelling dark thoughts”... But the fame of this vast estate (102 ha) also, and above all, stems from the long history of its winemaking tradition (1865) and the quality of its wines, born from a terroir of Garonne gravel. The estate also owns 21 hectares in the Haut-Médoc appellation. The wine was called Ermitage de Chasse Spleen until 2000, before being renamed L'Héritage de Chasse-Spleen. At the helm of the entire estate since 2000 is Céline Villars-Foubet, granddaughter of Jacques Merlaut.

Guide des Vins Gault & Millau

About the wine:

At first taste, it may seem austere, but the rich tannins are a pure delight. The fruit is soft and powerful, almost comforting. However, it should be decanted thoroughly unless you plan to let it age a bit in the cellar.

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France

About the wine:

The 2011 is a true charmer with soft tannins; it’s still opening up, and the fruit is elegant.

About the estate:

This wine enjoys an excellent reputation—one that is well deserved. Chasse-Spleen boasts a beautiful terroir, located largely on the magnificent gravel soils of the Grand Poujeaux area. Its rich structure and powerful aromas place it at the forefront of the appellation, producing wines that are consistently elegant and easy to drink, avoiding the sometimes somewhat rustic character found in the region.

Wine Enthusiast

Jancis Robinson

James Suckling