Spotlight on Moulin-à-Vent 2018: 72 wines tasted and rated

Situated in the north of the Beaujolais region, Moulin-à-Vent is one of the most famous crus and named after the local windmill – the literal translation of the name.

It is a historic appellation with a vine-growing history dating back hundreds of years. It was officially granted appellation status in 1936 – one of the first in the country.

Scroll down for the top 22 Moulin-à-Vent 2018 wines

Wines are made solely with Gamay Noir grapes, an ancient Burgundian variety and natural offspring of Pinot Noir and the obscure white variety Goulais Blanc.

Gamay tends to be bluer in colour than other reds, with dominant flavours of freshly picked red fruits and relatively high acidity however they are also extremely tannic and concentrated with these traditional Beaujolais wines a wide departure from the light and simple styles of Beaujolais Nouveau.

In their youth, these wines can exhibit plush textures with floral aromas and crunchy fruit which, over time, develop spicy, earth-driven, mushroom and truffle characteristics but can hold a juiciness on the palate for decades.

Vineyards span both the Rhône and Saône-et-Loire departments covering 600ha with the best sites positioned on the south and southeast-facing slopes of the Beaujolais hillsides at elevations of 200-300m. However, a trio of factors are responsible for shaping the natural style of the wines; the presence of silica in the soil, depth of the soil and exposure to the wind.

See all 72 Moulin-à-Vent wines from the tasting

Moulin-à-Vent Terroir

Distinctive pink granite soils are the main feature of the Moulin-à-Vent terroir. These are rich in iron oxide, copper and manganese minerals and are said to directly benefit the longevity of the wines.

However, with 69 lieu-dits, this appellation has a multitude of different micro-terroirs that winemakers are keen to show – some comprising sand and granite, some alluvial-granite soils and others with larger percentages of clay. A striking comparison to a much larger cru, for instance, Morgon with double the size under vine at 1,200ha and less than 20 delineated lieu-dits.

Winemaking techniques tend to eschew the use of carbonic maceration, primarily to show this soil diversity and favour slow and long vinifications of between 18-22 days, with an average of one-third whole bunch, two-thirds de-stemmed followed by one-third aged in barrel and two-thirds in stainless steel.

2018 Vintage

With 2018, Moulin-à-Vent has experienced four great vintages in a row and while they maybe a little less colour and concentration than in 2017, the quality is extremely high with quantity to match – an extremely important element considering yields can vary from a 30ha plot producing 40,000 bottles in 2012 to 130,000 bottles in 2018.

A wet, cool spring and early summer gave way to a long period of hot and dry weather – heatwave spikes in July in August – with no rain falling on most of the region until after the harvest. Fortunately, vines had water reserves from April and May giving the 2018s slightly more freshness and higher acidity than the preceding years. Growers reported the start of picking around 28th August and harvested healthy crops by the end of the first week of September.

The 2018s in this tasting showcase a variety of characteristics from plush, supple and crunchy fruit to fragrant, floral and soft flavours but all with a signature acidity that makes them so juicy and appealing.

Champ de Cour, in particular, stood out. A sand and granite area with shallow soils that provides a warmer environment producing smaller, concentrated grapes with elegance and charm.

As these wines can age well, easily for 30 years or more, some are not as approachable as others and need more time to settle and integrate – a suggestion of 5-8 years before opening.

However, many are offering delightful freshness and vibrancy and would make excellent drinking companions to roast meats or rich cheese dishes.

Many will require seeking out direct from the estates but they are definitely worth it.

See the top 22 Moulin-à-Vent wines

You may also like

Regional profile: MontagnyOff-piste Burgundy: Value alternativesBurgundy: Meet 10 exceptional winemaking talents