Moulin-à-Vent

The Moulin-à-Vent appellation covers only two communes: Romanèche-Thorins in Saône-et-Loire and Chénas in the Rhône. The decree recognizing the appellation dates from September 11, 1936, but as early as 1924, the Mâcon court, tasked with resolving disputes arising from counterfeits of an already renowned wine, had defined the geographical boundaries of the cru and, in a sense, thereby established the birth of the Moulin-à-Vent appellation, more than 10 years before the law establishing the A.O.C.
 
The Moulin-à-Vent vineyard covers approximately 670 hectares, with an annual production of about 36,500 hectoliters. The only grape variety used is Gamay noir à jus blanc, producing exclusively red wine. Among the producers, particular mention should be made of Domaine des Terres Dorées, Domaine Dominique Piron, Domaine du Vissoux, and especially Domaine Paul Janin et Fils as well as Château des Jacques.
 
The terroir of Moulin-à-Vent is characterized by crumbly pink granite sands known as gore, interspersed here and there with veins of manganese. This mineral is one of the appellation’s distinctive features. Vinification is carried out using whole clusters. This method is unique to Beaujolais. After vatting and the first alcoholic fermentation, the grapes are pressed. The free-run juice and press juice are then blended before a second, malolactic fermentation. Its role is to soften the wines by reducing their acidity. To extract the maximum of components and give Moulin-à-Vent wines structure, many winemakers use techniques that involve immersing the grapes in the juice during fermentation: stirring, punching down, racking, or pumping over. Well-structured, some Moulin-à-Vent wines may be aged in barrels to produce oak-aged cuvées, allowing the winemaker to expand the range of wines they offer.

Moulin-à-Vent is one of the 10 municipal appellations of the Beaujolais region. Unlike the other nine appellations, which are named after the villages where they are produced, the Moulin-à-Vent Beaujolais AOC is unique in that it is named after its emblem, an old mill located in the town of Romanèche-Thorins. But that is not its only distinctive feature. Among the Beaujolais wines, Moulin-à-Vent also stands out on the palate.

Straddling the municipalities of Romanèche-Thorins in Saône-et-Loire and Chénas in the Rhône department, the Moulin à Vent appellation is often described as “the lord of the Beaujolais appellations.” This is due to its weathered granite soil, or “rotten granite,” commonly referred to as “gore” by winemakers. This soil, generally poor, is nevertheless richer in organic matter than the soils of the vineyards on the slopes of Fleurie or Chiroubles, for example. Furthermore, its porosity ensures an ideal water supply: neither too much nor too little. The vines planted in this appellation area thus draw from the soil all the elements essential to their growth.

The Moulin-à-Vent vineyard also benefits from the most favorable altitudes, exposures, and slopes among the 10 crus.

The result is full-bodied, robust wines with greater aging potential than other vintages.

To properly enjoy a Moulin-à-Vent wine such as the Moulin-à-Vent Croix des Louves, you need to be patient. Unlike Beaujolais and Beaujolais-Village AOC wines, which are meant to be enjoyed young, Moulin-à-Vent wine—like Morgon and Chénas—has an aging potential of 3 to 10 years, and sometimes longer for the best vintages.

Just like the finest wines, this one deserves the best storage conditions. You should therefore pay close attention to the temperature, light, and humidity in the cellar where you’ll be storing your bottles until the right occasion arises to enjoy them. If you cannot provide ideal storage conditions for your finest bottles, opt instead for wines that are ready to drink—those that have been stored under proper conditions, either at the producer’s facility or at a wine merchant’s.

Le Moulin à Vent red wine should be enjoyed at room temperature. This means it should be served at a temperature between 15 and 18 degrees (cellar temperature). In hot weather, it is therefore advisable to keep the wine at this temperature by placing it in an ice bucket.

This wine is the perfect accompaniment to red meat, game, and strong-flavored cheeses such as Camembert, Époisses, or Munster. Its robust and full-bodied character pairs exceptionally well with hearty, home-style dishes, brilliantly enhancing their flavors.

Le Moulin-à-Vent is a wine that derives its purplish-red color from the Gamay grape variety from which it is made.

On the nose, it initially releases a fruity aroma reminiscent of cherries or blackcurrants. After a few years of aging, its bouquet becomes spicier and reveals notes of musk, truffle, and forest floor.

It is on the palate that Moulin-à-Vent truly reveals its unique character. Powerful, full-bodied, and velvety, it offers fine, woody tannins and the characteristic aromas of Gamay, which develop and blossom over time.