"The 2017 Moulin-à-Vent “Vieilles Vignes” bottling from Xavier and Nicolas Barbet is a superb wine in the making. It is deep, pure, nascently complex and beautifully structured for the long haul. The bouquet jumps from the glass in a vibrant blend of sweet cassis, blackberries, gamebird, espresso, dark soil tones, a bit of sweet stem tones, a dollop of fresh thyme and a top note of bonfire. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and ripely tannic, with a superb core of pure black fruit, excellent soil signature and impeccable focus on the long, well-balanced and gently chewy finish. This is a long-distance runner in the making and a classic Moulin-à Vent that will want a bit of bottle age to start to drink with generosity. In due course, it will be outstanding. "