Suppose you make wines fit for a king, but you come from the wrong side of the tracks. Like many winemakers, you could rage against the system. Or, like Christian Moueix, you could work harder and keep making the best wine you can so that one day you could actually move the tracks.
Moueix may well be the world's greatest winemaker, and indeed the most respected. As befits the owner of four of the most exclusive, expensive and highly coveted wines of Bordeaux -- Petrus, Lafleur, Trotanoy and Latour-a-Pomerol -- Moueix knows that he has earned his place. But getting there was a struggle.
The "tracks" that defined Moueix's (pronounced "Mwex") youth are actually an estuary of the Gironde River, which separates the chateau-studded vineyards of the Medoc from the cottages of St.-Emilion and Pomerol, where Moueix's family has made wine for almost 80 years.
The wines from these small estates on Bordeaux's so-called Right Bank were long ignored by the English and French wine trade because of the time and inconvenience in crossing the Gironde, and they were purposely overlooked when Napolean III ordered an official classification of the best Bordeaux in 1855.
The misguided legacy of the 1855 classification did not diminish over time. As late as 1975, when Moueix was learning the wine trade under his father, the late Jean-Pierre Moueix, Petrus was still a hard sell, even though it was comparable to many first growths from Medoc.
Moueix, 57, did not move the tracks by changing the course of the Gironde. Instead, he made people think differently about the old distinctions. He believed that the truth was in the bottle, not in the geography.
In 1982, Moueix proved this when Petrus received a perfect 100-point score from the American wine critic Robert M. Parker Jr., outdistancing the Medoc first-growths. The greatest wine of this landmark vintage was produced by Moueix on a chateau-less vineyard approximately one-ninth the size of Lafite, the reigning king of the Medoc. No serious wine collector or wine critic could deny that the best wines of the Right Bank had earned their place at the table.
Moueix was in Washington recently to lead a tasting of his more moderately priced wines from the 2001 vintage. He believes that for his properties, 2001 is as good as or better than the more celebrated 2000 vintage.
Based on this tasting, I would acknowledge that while the 2000s are ahead on structure, dimension and aging potential, the 2001s get the nod for purity, balance and the all-important yumminess factor. From a consumer standpoint, the moderate pricing of the 2001 may tip the balance in their favor for all but diehard cellar fillers.
My notes follow; prices are approximate. The wines in this tasting are imported exclusively by Maisons Marques & Domaines USA, who hosted the tasting.
Chateau Le Prieure 2001 ($29; St.-Emilion): Owing to the current obsession with fleshy, but ultimately unsatisfying, Bordeaux wines made bolder in the New World style, wines with the purity and finesse of this little gem are almost an endangered species. But I suspect that they will never become extinct, for the simple reason that they are so good either matched with food or sipped casually by themselves. The wine displays an expressive bouquet of black currant, flowers and a hint of chocolate. On the palate, pure flavors of plum and berry are followed by a silky, lingering finish. This is a wine for drinking, not for storing long-term. Enjoy it now and over the next two to three years.
Chateau Lafleur-Gazin 2001 ($35; Pomerol): Until recently, the name Chateau Lafleur-Gazin, derived from two legendary neighboring estates in Pomerol, promised far more than the estate could deliver. While 1999 and 2000 (still available in some stores) turned out well, the 2001 establishes Chateau Lafleur-Gazin as a legitimate member of the near-Petrus fraternity. With aromas of smoky oak, blackberry and cherry, this succulent, medium- to full-bodied Pomerol is delicious now but has the stuffing to benefit from three to five years of cellaring. Until the price catches up with the improved quality, this wine will remain a bargain.
Chateau Magdelaine 2001 ($29; St.-Emilion): Of all the Moueix wines, Magdelaine is the most difficult of the Moueix wines to appreciate in its youth, with the possible exception of Petrus. But I have also found that it emerges miraculously in the cellar. The 1966, 1975 and 1983 vintages have proved astonishing, and the 2001 promises to be even better. Though approachable now, the authoritative, deeply flavored 2001 Magdelaine deserves at least a decade to show its true mettle. Highly recommended, but only for those with patience.
Chateau Hosanna 2001 ($75; Pomerol): A huge improvement over the tepid 1999 vintage, the high-caliber wine shows more than a passing resemblance to first-growth Cheval Blanc, which is located just a short distance from Hosanna over the St.-Emilion/Pomerol border. Moueix believes that the fine, gravelly soil and high percentage of Cabernet Franc give Hosanna the potential to be the Cheval Blanc-style wine in his portfolio. While Chateau Hosanna has yet to display the spark of greatness seen in neighbors Chateau Certan de May or Vieux Chateau Certan, let alone Cheval Blanc, it's a worthy goal. The wine has soft, plump tannins and a luxurious super-ripeness. It may not be Cheval Blanc, but it's special. With three to five years of cellaring, this will shine.
Dominus Estate Napa Valley 2001 ($100; Napa Valley): When Dominus debuted in 1983, hot on the heels of the famed Mondavi-Rothschild Opus One, almost everyone expected it to demonstrate Christian Moueix's genius. Instead, it has confirmed his dedication to his craft. Although Dominus has not emerged as the Petrus or Latour of Napa as some predicted (nor did Moueix ever claim that it would or should), it has continued to improve incrementally every year owing to Moueix's constant experimentation and revision. As a result, the 2001 is a top-notch wine that combines the deep, fleshy structure of a classic Napa Valley Cabernet with the subtle nuances of Bordeaux winemaking. In this case, perhaps, persistence has proved to be another form of genius.
