Château du Moulin-à-Vent, Moulin-à-Vent – 2011
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Vineyard Profile
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This flagship wine is produced from selections of the harvest from five of the finest vineyards of the estate:
Le Moulin-à-Vent: the most emblematic terroir located around the historical windmill; relatively flat with an eastern exposure
La Rochelle: a circular-shaped, sloping terroir with a southern exposure, in the corridor of blowing winds; very old vines, 70+ years old
La Roche: eastern exposure, veins of red iron oxides coming through; old vines, 60+ years old
Les Thorins: southern exposure
Les Caves: shallow soils with an eastern exposure; very old vines, 70+ years old - Appellation: Moulin-à-Vent’s weathered granite soils are thin, with sandy pockets, enriched by high mineral nutrients and a granite bedrock with seams of manganese, copper, iron and other metallic oxides. The eastern and southern exposure of the vineyards maximizes ripening, while the region’s frequently blowing winds increase the concentration of the grapes.
- Cultivation: "Lutte raisonnée," or “reasoned protection.": natural soil amendments, manual weed control and integrated pest management; thanks to the exceptionally clement weather, only five biological treatments of the vines were used this year.
- Vine Age: 40 to 60 years
- Density: 10,000 vines/hectare (4,047 vines/hectare)
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Vintage Report
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2011 was an exceptional vintage, with balanced and complex wines from the château’s top terroirs. Manual harvest. Grapes were collected in small 30-liter (8-gallon) containers. Sorting table was positioned before the destemmer.
- Harvest Date(s): August 29-September 6
- Yields: 36 hl/ha (2.67 tons/acre). Normal yields in the region are 45-50 hl/ha, while the maximum authorized is 52 hl/ha.
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Vinification
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100% destemmed; pumping-over during cold pre-fermentation soak and at the end of fermentation to increase roundness and finesse. Punching the cap at the beginning of fermentation; 21 days extraction to bring out the full potential of the terroirs
- Aging: 14 months in 40% aged barrels (20% new): medium toast; French oak from the Allier and Vosges forests; excellent sourcing of oak from the top coopers Taransaud and François Frères to bring out the wine’s signature aromas and tannins
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Technical Information
- Varietal Composition: 100% Gamay Noir
- Alcohol: 13%
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Tasting Notes
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A handsome, deep-red color with purple tints and lovely aromas, with perfectly mature red and black fruit, hints of spice and floral notes of rose, peony and violet. Good body with fine tannins and good length. Rich, corpulent and complex, finishing on a spicy note.
Cellaring Potential: 5+ years, with gradual development over the years. - Serving Suggestions: Serve with rib of beef, white rind cheese, red fruit tarts.
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Images
Reviews
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Château du Moulin-à-Vent, Moulin-à-Vent – 2011 – Vinous – 91 Points
The 2011 Moulin-à-Vent offers an intriguing combination of pliant fruit, nervy acids and aromatic complexity. Sweet tobacco, leather, game and earthiness all open up over time. It is a wine that really benefits from aeration. Overall, the 2011 is a vintage defined by its energy.
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Château du Moulin-à-Vent, Moulin-à-Vent – 2011 – 90 points – Wine Enthusiast
“This wine is soft and rounded, ready to drink with its rich black-fruit character and fully integrated tannins. It holds a blend from five different parcels on the estate, ripe in berry fruits and fragrant with the wood aging. Acidity gives a lift…”
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Château du Moulin-à-Vent, Moulin-à-Vent – 2011 – 90 points, Year’s Best Red Burgundy, Best Buy – Wine & Spirits
“This wine’s tense black fruit carries notes of mushrooms and moss, an umami character that brings to mind the understory of a forest. The flavors are full on and potent, with enough richness to match roast quail or other game.”
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Château du Moulin-à-Vent, Moulin-à-Vent – 2011 – 90 points – vinous
"...Juicy, expansive blackberry and bitter chocolate flavors pick up a zesty mineral quality as the wine opens up. Energetic and precise on the finish, which features supple tannins and a touch of botanical herbs."