Moulin-à-Vent
Beaujolais, Burgundy, France
Named after the charming, rustic windmill which overlooks its vineyards, Moulin-à-Vent is arguably the most famous of Beaujolais’ 10 crus. The Gamays it produces are among the most full-bodied, structured and long-lived in the whole Beaujolais region. The best of them can mature as gracefully as a fine Burgundy. Indeed, after eight to 10 years of ageing, the wines are said to ‘pinoter’ – in other words, to become like a fine Burgundy Pinot.
The 620 hectares of vineyards of the appellation are located in the villages of Romanèche-Thorins and Chénas, and contain around 50 individually-named lieux-dits, some of which are considered worthy of being bottled as single-site wines. The soils of Moulin-à-Vent are diverse, though the wines with the most intensity are from vines grown on pink granite. Veins of manganese found in Moulin-à-Vent are also thought to contribute to the intensity and even, some producers believe, the floral aroma of its wines.
