Champ de Cour, Moulin-à-Vent – 2011
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Vineyard Profile
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Champ de Cour is located on a plateau between the hills of the windmill and of Fleurie, with an eastern exposure. The granite surface rocks force the roots to dig down deeply to seek their nutrients. Its clay-rich soil contains five minerals, giving the wine its unique character. The vines are protected against inclement weather and, vintage after vintage, produce grapes of concentration and depth that give the wine its instantly recognizable intensity.
- 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.
- Size: 3.4 hectares ( 8.4 acres)
- Vine Age: 30 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 lasted just one day. Grapes were collected in small 30-liter (8-gallon) containers. Sorting table was positioned before the destemmer.
- Harvest Date(s): September 3
- Average Yields: 31 hl/ha (2.3 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
- Barrel Aging: 17 months in 100% French oak (20% new); medium toast; oak chosen 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; the origin, grain and toast intensity are chosen according to the characteristics of the vintage.
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Technical Information
- Varietal Composition: 100% Gamay Noir
- Alcohol: 13%
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Tasting Notes
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The deep red color of the wine offers the first hint of its massive concentration. The nose is an explosion of red fruit, with roasted and spicy (pepper and saffron) notes. A full-bodied wine of considerable elegance, lively tannins and superb length, with a mineral finish.
Cellaring Potential: 9+ years, with gradual development over the years. - Serving Suggestions: Serve with wild game, monkfish, aged cheeses. Should be served slightly chilled, between 16 C and 18 C (61 F and 64 F).
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Images
Reviews
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Champ de Cour, Moulin-à-Vent – 2011 – 90 points – Wine Enthusiast
"From a seven-acre parcel on the estate and produced from 35-year-old vines, this is a tannin-dominated wine. It is firm, with concentration that is just beginning to show the rich black-cherry fruits."
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Champ de Cour, Moulin-à-Vent – 2011 – 90 points, Year’s Best Red Burgundy – Wine & Spirits
“It is an austere wine in 2011, almost somber in the context of Beaujolais. The black, mineral-inflected tannins and firm acidity lend it structure, lifting the dark spice toward complexity. For braised meats.”
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Champ de Cour, Moulin-à-Vent – 2011 – 92 points – vinous
".... Lively, focused and pure, with intense red fruit liqueur flavors that put on weight with air. Dusty tannins shape the finish, which clings with excellent tenacity and just a hint of fine-grained tannins."
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Champ de Cour, Moulin-à-Vent – 2011 – 91 points – The Tasting Panel
"Smooth and lush, juicy and clean with rich texture and lovely balance; long and tangy with elegant style and a long, bright finish."