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 court of Mâcon, responsible for settling disputes arising from counterfeiting of an already renowned wine, had defined the geographical boundaries of the cru and thus, in a way, consecrated the birth of the Moulin-à-Vent appellation more than 10 years before the law establishing the AOCs
 
The Moulin-à-Vent vineyard covers an area of around 670 hectares, with an annual production of around 36,500 hectoliters. The only grape variety used is Gamay noir à jus blanc, which is used exclusively for red wine. Within the production, particular mention should be made of Domaine des Terres Dorées, Domaine Dominique Piron, Domaine du Vissoux and, above all, Domaine Paul Janin et Fils and Château des Jacques.
 
The Moulin-à-Vent terroir is characterized by crumbly pink granite arenas called gore, infiltrated here and there with veins of manganese. This mineral is one of the appellation's specific characteristics. The wine is made from whole bunches. This method is unique to Beaujolais. After vatting and initial 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 removing some of their acidity. To express the maximum components and give Moulin-à-Vent wines structure, many winemakers use techniques that involve immersing the grapes in the juice during fermentation: punching down, racking, or pumping over. Some of the more full-bodied Moulin-à-Vent wines are aged in barrels to produce oak-aged vintages, allowing winemakers to broaden their range of wines.

Moulin-à-Vent is one of the 10 communal appellations of Beaujolais wines. Unlike the other nine appellations, which are named after the village where they are produced, the Beaujolais AOC Moulin à Vent is unique in that it is named after its emblem, an ancient windmill located in the commune of Romanèche-Thorins. This is not its only distinctive feature. Among the Beaujolais wines, Moulin à Vent also stands out in terms of taste.

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

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

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

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

Like the finest wines, it should be stored in the best possible conditions. You must therefore pay particular attention to the temperature, light, and humidity of the cellar where you store your bottles, while waiting for the right occasion to enjoy them. If you cannot provide ideal storage conditions for your best bottles, it is better to buy wines that are ready to drink, which will have been stored in good conditions by the producer or a wine merchant.

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 Celsius (cellar temperature). In hot weather, the wine should be kept at this temperature by placing it in an ice bucket.

This wine is the perfect accompaniment to red meat, game, and strong cheeses such as Camembert, Époisses, or Munster. Its robust, full-bodied character pairs beautifully with rich, home-style cooking.

Moulin-à-Vent is a wine that gets 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 cherry or blackcurrant. After a few years of aging, its bouquet becomes more spicy and exudes notes of musk, truffle, and undergrowth.

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