As you’d expect in a vintage like 2013 Moulis and Listrac have produced a sappy, chewy bunch of wines. In Moulis, Château Poujeaux is elegant and attractive, with Château Chasse-Spleen seemingly leaner and a fraction austere. Château Fourcas Dupré looked the pick of the wines from Listrac. It has some sweetness and generosity on the mid-palate and is a whisker out in front of its chief competitors, Château Fourcas Hosten and Château Clarke.

If you’re a regular reader of this blog, then you will know that I’m a great fan of these two Bordeaux appellations. Yes they produce ‘food’ wines, wines that are often well structured with plenty of chew, sap and bite. They shout out for a decent Sunday roast or rib-eye steaks chargrilled on a BBQ. Both Moulis and Listrac age admirably, but it’s my experience that they are best enjoyed in their youth to middle age, that is to say between five and eight years after the vintage.

So where does 2013 sit in the pantheon of recent vintages here? Tasting the wines once again there are similarities to 2011 and 2007. They are vigorous and sappy with rather stronger acids though. I’d expect them to settle reasonably well but they will probably feel always feel a little on the lean side, such was the nature of the vintage, with the fruit harvested considerably earlier than producers had hoped. That said Château Poujeaux is surprisingly round.

Below are notes on ten wines from both districts. It’s a small cross section admittedly. They were tasted at Château Clarke as part of the Union des Grands Cru de Bordeaux [UGCB] event, with several other wines tasted separately as part of the Cru Bourgeois tasting at Château d’Arsac. Château Poujeaux was tasted twice, once at the UGCB and also at Clos Fourtet.

Château Poujeaux, Moulis

Deep-ish; purple at edge; blackcurrant fruit; feels clean and pure; elegant palate with some blackcurrant fruit and attractive purity; no wood poking through so nicely integrated; elegant but firm with a little sap on the finish. [55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot]. Tasted 3/4/14 UGCB. Drink 2018-2025. 86-88+ [Earlier note] Mid depth; lighter at core; quite pretty aromatics, some perfume, blackcurrant tones and spices; sturdy palate, elegance and fresh. [50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot 13% alc, 3.71 pH]. Tasted Clos Fourtet 2/4/14. Drink 2018-2025. 86-88

Château Fourcas-Dupré, Listrac

Mid depth; vibrant purple at edge; attractive sweet spicy nose; perfumed; nice entry on the palate that shows elegance and softness; nicely judged. Not too sappy. [48% Merlot, 46% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit verdot 32hl/ha 33% new oak each year]. Tasted 3/4/14 UGCB. Drink 2018-2025. 85-87

Château Fourcas-Hosten, Listrac

Deep and healthy looking; purple at edge; some wood on the nose with stalky blackcurrant tones; little reductive; quite grippy palate; there is material here but a leaner and more sappy style than Dupre. Little dry on the finish. Will come good but a fraction austere at present. [55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 44% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Franc]. Drink 2018-2025. Tasted 3/4/14 UGCB. 84-86

Château Chasse-Spleen, Moulis

Attractive depth; purple edge; some complexity on the nose; blackcurrants, spice; palate rather solid and a bit hard; has structure but lacks flesh. Will settle but likely an austere Chasse-Spleen. [65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 5% petit Verdot]. Tasted 3/4/14 UGCB. Drink 2018-2025. 84-86

Château Clarke, Listrac

Mid depth; purple edge; some earth, graphite and blackcurrants; freshness; quite polished; pure and sappy palate; vigorous and sappy style but has sufficient fruit. [60% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon]. Tasted 3/4/14 UGCB. Drink 2017-2023. 84-86

Château Maucaillou, Moulis

Deep colour; purple edge; high toned aromatics; plums and blackcurrants with woody tones; quite grippy and chewy on the palate; plenty of sap too; austere finish. [47% Merlot, 46% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Petit Verdot]. Tasted 3/4/14 UGCB. Drink 2017-2023. 83-85

Château Fonréaud, Cru Bourgeois, Listrac

Lightish colour; purple rim; spicy cherry notes with blackcurrant; cool but attractive black fruits; some flesh in the middle with vigorous sap; little chewy and puckering on the finish. Tasted 3/4/14 UGCB. Drink 2017-2023. 83-85

Château Gressier Grand Poujeaux, Cru Bourgeois, Moulis

Mid depth; lighter at edge; some spices; feels quite tight; red fruits initially; some sap; still quite lean but with a little more elegance than Anthonic and Biston-Brillette. Tasted Cru Bourgeois tasting 3/4/14. Drink 2016-2022. 82-84

Château Biston-Brillette, Cru Bourgeois, Moulis

Mid depth; wet chalk and a little ink; fruit on the palate some spices though still lean overall. Tasted Cru Bourgeois tasting 3/4/14. Drink 2016-2022. 81-83

Château Anthonic, Cru Bourgeois, Moulis

Mid depth; deep and dusty nose; firm; chewy palate with quite high acid. Not a whole lot of joy at present. Will soften a little but probably a chewy number even so. Tasted Cru Bourgeois tasting 3/4/14. Drink 2016-2022. 80-82