1999 Château Moulin Saint-Georges, 12-bottle Lot

Château Moulin St. Georges is a 17.3-acre estate in the St.-Emilion appellation of Bordeaux. It is a Grand Cru of the appellation and is owned by Catherine and Alain Vauthier, the same family that owns Ausone, which is located next door to Moulin St. Georges. The estate is planted to 66% Merlot and 34% Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Some 35,000 bottles are produced annually. Robert M. Parker Jr. has noted that wine collectors “should think of Moulin St. Georges as a more forward, earlier drinking, less expensive alternative to Ausone. The two vineyards are not far apart, and Moulin St. Georges often possesses some of the characteristics of its more prestigious stablemate.”

Saint-Émilion is on the east side of the Dordogne River. At 13,400 acres it is one of Bordeaux’s largest appellations, and perhaps its most picturesque. It is also home to what has been called “the garagiste” movement of upstart, tradition-defying winemakers who produce artisanal wines in styles that are unconventional for the appellation. The village of Saint-Émilion dates from the middle ages and it sits on low hills, surrounded by ancient walls. Like its neighbor Pomerol, Saint-Émilion was not included in the famous Bordeaux classification system of 1855. But a century later a ranking system was put in place, and unlike the classification system for the Medoc, the Saint-Émilion system is reviewed every ten years, meaning that estates can be upgraded or downgraded. There are three rankings: Grand Cru Classé, Premier Grand Cru Classé B and Premier Grand Cru Classé A, with the final ranking being the best. Such legendary Saint-Émilion estates as Châteaux Ausone and Cheval-Blanc are Premier Grand Cru Classé A, along with Châteaux Pavie and Angélus, both added to the classification in 2012. Wines in this appellation are primarily Merlot, mixed with Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon.