MOULIN-À-VENT 2025
Grape varietal
Black Gamay (Gamay Noir) with white juice.
Tasting notes
Colour: Intense ruby red.
Nose: Delightful pastry notes of almond and soft caramel.
Palate: A fresh and elegant opening reveals flavours of wild berries, notably raspberry and strawberry tree fruit.
Serving suggestions
Serve at 15-17°C (59-63°F) to fully appreciate the wine's aromatic complexity and elegant structure.
Food and wine pairing
An excellent accompaniment to red meats, game dishes and full-flavoured cheeses.
Ageing potential
Moulin-à-Vent can be enjoyed in its youth, but it truly rewards ageing. It has a cellaring potential of 7 to 10 years.
Origins
The appellation takes its name from an old windmill located at the heart of the vineyard, which was used to grind grain until the mid-19th century. The Moulin-à-Vent appellation extends across the communes of Romanèche-Thorins and Chénas.
Terroir
The vineyard is characterised by shallow, free-draining soils rich in mineral elements, particularly manganese, derived from friable pink granite.
Vinification and maturing
Traditional Beaujolais winemaking using whole grape bunches, with fermentation temperatures maintained between 22°C and 28°C (72-82°F). Maceration lasts between 10 and 20 days with regular pump-overs, followed by rack-and-return operations towards the end of vatting. The wine is then matured in tank.
Vintage : 2025
In the Beaujolais area, the 2025 vintage stands out for its remarkable precocity, in line with great sunny years such as 2015 and 2018. After a fairly cool winter and a balanced spring, budbreak occurred as early as April 6, followed by a rapid flowering at the end of May, eight days ahead of 2024.
Early summer was marked by contrasts: heavy rainfall in early June, locally accompanied by hail, was followed by a sharp rise in temperatures. A more moderate July preceded a heatwave in August, with peaks above 40°C. (104° F.), leading to significant water stress.
These conditions accelerated ripening, enhanced berry concentration and kept disease pressure extremely low. Harvest began on August 23 for Chardonnay and August 25 for Gamay, extending until September 16 depending on the area.
Despite reduced volumes due to hail and drought, quality is definitely there: concentrated, complex wines with deep color and solid tannic structure. A truly nice vintage in the making.
