Richard Rottiers Moulin-a-Vent “Foudres” 2017
Background
Moulin-A-Vent is the most prestigious ‘Cru’ in Beaujolais. It is a windy area, the Gamay grapes here develop thicker skins, which creates firmer wines that will age well. If Morgon is the most artistic of the Crus, then Moulin-A-vent is surely Bojo’s star athlete.
After working in Chablis, New Zealand, and California, Richard Rottiers met and married his wife Corinne (who is from Beaujolais) and decided Moulin-a-Vent was the place to set up his own operation. He bought 3 hectares of land in 2007 from a larger producer and worked for 4 years to get it certified as organic. The vines are all 40-80 years old, and like most Cru Beaujolias, the amount of carbonic maceration and whole cluster inclusion changes vintage to vintage.
“Foudres” are very large Oak barrels (up to 1000L) used since forever as fermenting and aging vessels. Being much larger than French “barriques” ( 225L), they impart very little ‘wood’ flavour (cedar/clove/vanilla/smoke etc.). Because of this we often call them ‘neutral’ oak barrels. They are slightly breathable (a small amount of oxygen does get into the wine), and they help to create a more rounded wine than a stainless steel tank would. This wine is aged in foudres for 18 months before release, which gives it some time to develop before we get it - which is nice!
Tasting Notes
This is a really beautifully aromatic wine. Filled with lots of dark floral aromas like violet and lavender. The fruit is still the star of the show though. There is a distinct tang of acid that feels like dark sour cherries. That acid, along with the tannin give the wine a loooong finish. These two structural elements will also help in the preservation and maturation of flavours. You could age this wine for 5 to 10 years (from the vintage, so 2022-2027 - but again, these wines are also great to consume young!).
When the importer heard what we were doing with Rottier’s wine they told us, “I’m sure Richard would be very pleased to be included in that lineup.” That’s nice to hear. Truth is, it’s great wine and we’re happy to have it and be able to share it in our wine delivery packs.
Food Pairing
Woodsy Herbs. Whenever a wine has a distinct florality, we always look to pair it with an herb that has some of the same aromatics. Dark floral aromas like violet will work with flavours like tarragon, thyme, and oregano. These kinds of pairings have a complexity that you might have to think about a little more than a classic like Champagne and fried chicken, but it’s that kind of complexity that makes for a special meal. It’s a combo you can savour with every bite.
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