Moulin-à-Vent 2020 6x75cl

• 75cl bottle

A very different style of Beaujolais Cru which shows the potential of really well made Cru Beaujolais.

Vineyards

Louis Jadot purchased the Château des Jacques estate in Moulin à Vent at the end of 1996. The estate is well known as one of the most prestigious in Beaujolais and is made up of 6 different 'clos' totalling 28.78 ha, which are now all vinified separately.

Vintage

As with last year, winter 2019-20 was both mild and relatively dry. The first days of April were cooler, and helped to slow the pace of growth slightly. Things picked up again during the last half of the month, when temperatures rose to around 25 degrees - unusally warm for this time of year - as the plants were able to synthesise high levels of organic acids. May brought some rainfall, which allowed the vines to continue their growth uninterrupted, and the first flowers were seen on the young Chardonnay vines in mid-May. Full flowering took place towards the end of May and the beginning of June, and the berries swelled rapidly despite the general lack of rainfall. Growth, whilst not entirely even across the region, was around three weeks ahead of schedule. Véraison occurred with minimal disease pressure at the start of July. Burgundy sweltered through several heatwaves. The extremely dry weather slowed the pace of véraison by the end of July, particularly among the vines carrying the heaviest weight of bunches. Nevertheless, by the end of July, véraison had more or less passed the midway point, and the leaves remained green. The slopes were hit by a further heatwave in mid-August, and the more fragile plants began showing signs of hydric stress, with a yellowing at the base of their leaves. Due to the lack of rainfall, the ripening accelerated, with Pinot Noir taking the lead over most of the Chardonnay vines. The grapes were very healthy, with no trace of mildew or rot. Harvesting began with the early Pinot Noir sectors (Volnay, Meursault, Beaune, Savigny) on 19th August, followed by the Côte de Nuits a week later, with all of the harvest brought in by the end of a warm September. But it had been a very dry season with several heat spikes in August, causing the vines to shut down. This, slightly counter intuitively, contributed to balanced alcohols and higher acidity in the final wines.

Winemaking

The grapes are de-stemmed and crushed before fermentation and the wine is barrel aged to create a wine with rich and succulent Gamay fruit as well as having the concentration and structure to develop in bottle.

Enjoy with:

• Grilled and Roasted Red Meats
• Pizza/Pasta
• Casseroles/Stews
• Mild Creamy Cheeses
• Mature Strong Cheeses

Good with Boeuf Bourguignonnes.