Inky ruby. Pungent dark berries and cherry on the nose, with complicating notes of musky herbs and licorice. Chewy, densely packed dark fruit flavors are initially taut and ungiving but aeration brings out flesh and sweetness. The finish repeats the cherry note and leaves notes of bitter chocolate and herbs behind. Give this air, or better yet age it for another three or four years, at a minimum.
91 points - Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar (February 2011)
A final blend for the U.S. of Diochon 2009 Moulin-a-Vent Vieilles Vignes (tasted in June, before bottling, after I tasted pre-assemblage in April) is striking for its saline, alkaline mineral suggestions as well as for its fine row of tannic teeth. Carob and chocolate; dark cherry and plum; beef marrow and bouillon combine for an imposing sense of richness of flavor. This boasts real grip, but is apt to need 6-9 months in bottle to really reveal its full potential, which hopefully will include at least 4-5 years of cellaring for those who (like me) especially enjoy their Diochon Moulin-a-Vent mature. Since 2007, Thomas Patenotre has been working Diochon’s vines on a rental basis, though the latter is still advising.
89-90 points - The Wine Advocate (August 2010)
Diochon’s Moulin-à-Vent is juicily delicious yet there is a majesty to it. It is full-blown and full-bodied, yet it has a lush, supple, swallowable texture. No hard edges. No astringency. No heat. Moulin-à-Vent is supposed to be the grandest of the region’s Grands Crus, and here you sense a certain grandeur throughout the taste experience. And don’t overlook the visuals. Diochon’s color is always a sight to see. The color, like the flavor, is cassis-like. This wine is a perennial favorite at the retail store in Berkeley, and Bernard himself is one of the most respected and beloved figures in the region. His wild moustache looks as if it has seen the inside of a million wine glasses, and it’s hard to imagine a world without wine like this.
Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant | 
