Château Poujeaux 2022

Château Poujeaux is the leading name in Moulis-en-Médoc, the smallest appellation in the Médoc, set on flat ground with gentle slopes west of Margaux. Sitting further from the Gironde than its neighbours, Moulis is noticeably cooler, which lengthens ripening and keeps the wines fresh and firm. The vineyards run on gravel ridges over clay and limestone, the gravel draining well and storing heat to ripen Cabernet Sauvignon, the clay holding water through dry spells. Cabernet Sauvignon leads the blend with Merlot and Petit Verdot, and the estate works under respectful farming. The 2022 ages 12 months in oak barrels, where oxygen exchange through the wood rounds the tannins, fixes colour and adds cedar and spice. The wine is deep and concentrated, with a nose of ripe black fruit, plum and dark cherry over pencil shavings, sweet earth and liquorice. The palate is full, powerful and structured, the cool terroir keeping a firm, fresh tannic line, and the finish is long and savoury. Serve at 16 to 18 degrees, decanted an hour ahead, with roast beef, lamb or game.