2020 Moulin a Vent (Moulis)

Full bottle 1,358 g. From three lieux-dits around the famous windmill, north-facing Moulin-à-Vent, east-facing La Roche and south-facing Les Thorins. All were apparently recognised as Première Classe in 1869 by Antoine Budker, an engineer who pioneered the identification of terroir here. The 60-year-old vines were picked by hand and the grapes then sorted (with 40% whole bunches) before undergoing a traditional vinification without sulphites. Fermented for 17 days at temperatures up to 23 °C with daily pumpovers. Aged for 18 months in 70% stainless-steel tanks and 30% oak barrels. The producer describes the 2020 vintage as outstanding. Transparent purplish crimson. Serious, mineral nose with medium-firm tannins on the end. Proper wine! Definitely worth a premium over the Couvent des Thorins. Real bite on the finish – very refreshing at this point but I have every confidence in its ageing into something more complex. (JR)

The 2020 Moulin-à-Vent, a blend of vineyards from higher elevations, has a slightly confit-like bouquet with mulberry and crushed strawberry fruit. The palate is better defined than the Couvent des Thorins, showing sour cherry mixed with raspberry and orange rind. Cinnamon and stem ginger enliven the finish. Give this a year in bottle.

Harvest 17 August. 16-day fermentation followed by ageing for 18 months in 75% stainless steel and 25% oak barrels (none new). Bottled 21 March 2022 under natural cork. TA 3.7 g/l, pH 3.44, RS 0 g/l, SO 2 total 50 mg/l, SO 2 free 17 mg/l. Vegan. Bottle weight 650 g. Quite intense crimson. Edgy, quite sour-plum-like now and clearly ambitious. Very different from the other three beaujolais in this tasting. Not nearly ready. (Look at that harvest date, by the way!) Dense with quite a bit of tannin. (JR)