County Business Clubs’ Wine of the Month January 2024

Chateau Mauvesin Barton Vintage 2016 from Moulis En Medoc, Bordeaux.

This month’s Wine of the Month comes from one of the world’s all-time classic wine-making areas in Western France called Moulis En Medoc.

France makes some of the world’s most respected wines from this region with some selling out at several thousand pounds a bottle on vintage launch. Fortunately, there are many reasonable wines from Bordeaux from less than £10 a bottle. The wine I have chosen this month was a wine that my family and I particularly enjoyed over Christmas.

This serious wine is a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc and is aged for over 12 months in oak and has a balanced alcohol level of 13.5%.

In the words of Chateau Mauvesin Barton: “The vineyard is situated in the ‘Moulis-en-Médoc’ appellation, to the north of Bordeaux, on the left bank of the Gironde estuary. Part of the soil is clay-gravel, perfectly adapted for the development of Cabernet-Franc and Merlot. Another part is made up of fine gravel and gritty sand, allowing the Cabernet Sauvignon to reach full ripeness.

“As for all the Barton family activities, great importance is attached to environmental protection and the quality of the wines produced.”

The 2016 vintage has produced concentrated fruit and excellent ageing after eight years in the bottle. On the palate, the wine is well rounded, with lots of layers of red fruit and blackberry providing a real depth of flavour. As well as bags of fruit there are tobacco and spice notes with almond, almost marzipan together with rounded tannins.

When to drink: drink from now through to 2035 Food pairing – this wine works particularly well with beef or any rich dishes, although I love this wine equally on its own!

Some of the best wine commentators also enjoyed this wine 91/92 out of 100 – Very neat and polished without being at all forced. Classic stuff – Barton Lite-ish. Very nice top-quality oak influence and a bone-dry finish. Lots of energy here.

Jancis Robinson MW, jancisrobinson.com (August 2017)

16.5+/20 – A dense and fruity red with chocolate, walnuts and spices. Medium body and chewy tannins. Firm and structured. Very cool wine.

James Suckling, jamessuckling.com (April 2017)

Where to buy?

This wine retails at between £25 and £30 a bottle and can be bought online from a variety of UK vintners although other Moulis en Medoc can be purchased from local vintners or supermarkets that have similar taste profiles from the region.

Written for County Business Clubs Sussex by Michael Yeoman, English Wine Specialist and producer of Spirit of the Downs, award winning local artisan Brandies and Grape Vodka.