Château Chasse-Spleen is in Moulis, an unclassified appellation on the left bank of the Gironde River, in France’s Bordeaux region. The estate traces its history to the 16th century and its name translates as “dispels melancholy.” There have been many owners over the centuries, and it is now owned by a local syndicate of wine estates and run by Claire Villars. Despite lacking a classification the 200-acre estate produces wines considered Crus Exceptionnels, and it is generally thought of as the premier château of Moulis. Vineyards are planted to 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot and 7% Petit Verdot. Some 28,000 cases are produced annually, with additional cases of the two second wines, L’Ermitage de Chasse-Spleen and l’Oratoire de Chasse-Spleen. Robert M. Parker Jr. calls the château “an outstanding property (which has) consistently produced fine wines that for the last three decades has often been as good as a third growth.”