Monday 18 May 2009

The Moueix family's latest baby...

Posted by Julian Campbell, Buyer
We are delighted to announce the birth of a new star in St Emilion. JP Moueix acquired the Chateau formally known as Belair in 2008. This property was once one of the most sought after wines in Bordeaux and rivalled the first growths as the most expensive wine from the region. However, many years of mediocre wine-making has ruined their once great reputation. This fabled terroir, next to Ausone on the upper slopes of the limestone terrace to the south of St Emilion can and will again produce superb wines. The 2008 is definitely a great effort. A huge amount of endeavour has gone into this wine. Several tries and miniscule yields have resulted in the finest Belair (-Monange) in decades. Congratulations to the Moueix team for their outstanding 2008 and we look forward to many more great wines from this estate.

`The 2008 is clearly a product of fully ripened fruit and physiologically mature tannins, something the previous administration rarely sought, too frequently harvesting under-ripe fruit with green, astringent tannins. The results were always predictable - reprehensible wines from an extraordinary terroir. That has all changed under Christian and Edouard Moueix's guidance. The dense ruby/purple-tinged 2008 reveals an extraordinary aromatic display of crushed rocks, spring flowers, and abundant kirsch and black raspberry fruit. The wine possesses good acids, unreal minerality, and superb intensity, texture, and length. The harvest was extremely late, between October 14-21, and after the selections were done, the final yield came to 12 hectoliters per hectare - commercial madness. The result is an amazing effort that should evolve for 30 years. Formerly known as Chateau Belair, 2008 is the first vintage in which Christian Moueix, his son, Edouard, and new oenologist, Eric Murisasco, had 100% control at Belair-Monange, and they have admirably demonstrated just what this great terroir is capable of producing. Cropped at an unreal 18 hectoliters per hectare, it appears ready to compete with its near-by neighbor, Ausone`. 93-95+ points. - Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate, Issue 182

Due to the small production and high demand, Belair-Monange will be allocated. Please express your interest to your account manager.