Château du Moulin-à-Vent, Moulin-à-Vent – 2009
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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
- Density: 10,000 vines/hectare (4,047 vines/acre)
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Vintage Report
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2009 was an exceptional vintage for Château du Moulin-à-Vent. The summer months offered perfect conditions for the vines, while modernization of the cellars and intensive work in the vineyards produced wines of outstanding quality, restoring the Château to its leading position in the appellation. 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 9
- 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: 11 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: 13.5%
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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: 10+ 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 – 2009 – Vinous – 92 Points
The 2009 Moulin-à-Vent is in an ideal place for drinking now. Sweet red cherry, tobacco, spice, earthiness dried herbs, mint and licorice are the signatures of a wine that is starting to show the signs of aromatic and flavor maturity. Even so, the 2009 retains a good bit of freshness and punch. Readers who look to explore Beaujolais with bottle age will adore the 2009. It was done with destemmed fruit and aged 80% in oak and 20% in stainless steel.
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Château du Moulin-à-Vent, Moulin-à-Vent – 2009
A deep-red color with purple tints and lovely aromas, with 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.