Château des Jacques - Moulin-à-Vent Clos des Thorins 2022

Bettane & Desseauve

About the estate:

The estate, owned by Louis Jadot of Beaune but managed independently, has grown significantly since its acquisition in 1996. The vineyard spans 90 hectares, primarily planted with Moulin-à-Vent, a variety in which the estate is a leading specialist. It owns plots in the finest terroirs, such as Rochegrès, La Roche, Carquelins, and, more recently, La Rochelle. Cyril Chirouze continues the tradition of excellence established over fifteen years ago.

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

About the wine:

The Moulin-à-Vent Clos des Thorins 2022 evokes fragrant aromas of tart blueberry, blackcurrant, plum, peony, chamomile, and sweet cedar. On the palate, this succulent, medium- to full-bodied wine is very tight but reveals an impressive layer of juicy fruit. It is supple and refined despite its youthful reserve.

About the estate:

Is the 2018 vintage the finest wine produced to date at Château des Jacques under Jadot’s leadership? That is certainly the question I asked myself while tasting these new releases, and Cyril Chirouze and his team deserve the warmest praise for what they have accomplished. When Jadot acquired this vast historic estate in 1996, the winemaking process was reimagined with a Burgundian focus, introducing destemming, long macerations, new oak, and extended aging. To my palate, the oak component of the wines was sometimes too pronounced, even with bottle aging; and that is why these 2018s stand out: they are quite simply the best-integrated wines I have tasted from Château des Jacques between 1996 and today. Deep, concentrated, and elegantly robust—after all, 2018 was a hot year—these are serious wines, built for the cellar, and I am truly very optimistic about their future. All the wines reviewed here come highly recommended.

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France

About the wine:

Although currently dominated by a slightly sweet, woody note, Clos des Thorins nevertheless reveals a rich, complex character.

About the estate:

Since its acquisition in 1996 by the Beaune-based Louis Jadot, the estate has fully embraced its identity, and “Les Jacques” has established itself as a benchmark for age-worthy Beaujolais, while continuing to draw on Burgundian winemaking methods. Following the era of Guillaume de Castelnau (director from 2000 to 2014), Pierre-Henri Gagey handed the reins over in 2016 to Cyril Chirouze, an agricultural engineer and oenologist who had worked as a winemaker there between 2007 and 2013. The single-vineyard cuvées require a minimum of five years of aging to fully express the identity of their terroir. It is clear that the transition to organic farming and the construction of the new winery have enabled the estate to reach a new milestone in defining its wines. We will be closely following this progress.

James Suckling

About the wine:

This wine offers a sophisticated array of aromas, including nutmeg, burdock, blackcurrant, and cocoa bean. It is medium-bodied and full of flavor, with firm yet polished tannins that frame the spicy black fruit. Best enjoyed starting in 2025.