From an old sandy parcel near Romanèche-Thorins, the grapes are hand-harvested and destemmed, then fermented in a mix of stainless steel and queues bourguignonnes (double barriques), of which 10% are new. In the glass, the wine has a cool, dark ruby color that warms to red tinged fuchsia at the edge. Aromas of smoky griotte cherries, fresh ripe cranberries, and wild blueberries move in and out of the foreground, sometimes alternating with wild mushrooms, charcouterie, and freshly cut hay as the nose evolves in the glass. On the palate, the wine tastes “Pinoté” (more like Pinot Noir than Gamay), and grows more voluminous with time in the glass: sleek, focused, transparent, and vibrant, with a sweet core of flavors that echo the nose, including sun warmed black raspberries, dried tarragon, Earl Grey tea, and cardamom. If you didn’t know that this was a Moulin à Vent, you’d be excused if you mistook it for one of Louis Boillot’s elegant, silky Volnays.
