Moulin a Vent

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Known as the ‘King of Beaujolais’ for its power, structure and longevity, Moulin-à-Vent is the most atypical of all the Beaujolais Crus, even if it is potentially the best. Its style is the antithesis of light, fluffy Beaujolais, and when fully mature (often at 10 years old or more) it resembles more a fine Burgundy, or even a Rhône, than Beaujolais. Named after the local windmill (which translates as moulin-à-vent in French) Moulin-à-Vent is a real vindication of the principle of ‘terroir’. 

Moulin-à-Vent's neighbour Fleurie produces perfumed, silky, approachable wines, while Moulin-à-Vent, using the same grape (100% Gamay) and broadly the same vinification, makes wines that are meaty, tannic and intense, and need 2-3 years to mature.  The only possible explanation, it seems, is the high proportion of iron and manganese in Moulin-à-Vent’s soil. Moulin-à-Vent tends to be most expensive of the Beaujolais Crus, although happily it is home to a number of very fine producers, so there is plenty for wine lovers to choose from.

Recommended producers: Jacky Janodet, Olivier Merlin.

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2012 Moulin à Vent, La Rochelle, Olivier Merlin

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2012 Moulin à Vent, La Rochelle, Olivier Merlin
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From a yield of just 22 hl/ha, Olivier Merlin has produced a beautiful wine from the 75 year old vines in the La Rochelle vineyard. It displays a beautiful,pure, purple colour with a heavenly, heady nose, with a gorgeous strawberry and red fruit perfume. On the palate there are some peppery notes as well, with a fine structure to confirm long term ageing potential. 
Jasper Morris MW - Wine Buyer
France > Beaujolais > Moulin A Vent
2 Reviews

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£20.95

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£113.10 Saving £12.60

Bottle 6 x 75cl37cs

£81.24
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2011 Moulin à Vent, Les Rouchaux, Thibault Liger-Belair

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2011 Moulin à Vent, Les Rouchaux, Thibault Liger-Belair
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Though happily established in Nuits-St Georges, Thibault trained at a viticultural college in Beaujolais where ancestors of his once had vines. Starting with the 2009 vintage, Thibault has begun to build up a portfolio of vineyards within the appellation of Moulin-à-Vent. His wines are some of the most fabulous we have ever tasted from the region.

The soil in Les Rouchaux is sand on top of blue granite, planted with 70-year-old vines. With a glorious black-purple colour, this is ultra stylish, more compact than 2009 but with grace and length.
France > Beaujolais > Moulin A Vent
1 Review

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£22.00

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£71.76
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2011 Moulin-à-Vent, La Rochelle, Olivier Merlin

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2011 Moulin-à-Vent, La Rochelle, Olivier Merlin
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The wizard of the Mâconnais added Moulin-à-Vent to his portfolio in 2000. La Rochelle is one of the outstanding terroirs of the Cru. Olivier Merlin’s holding was mostly planted in 1937, with a small section dating back to 1955. He uses a classic Beaujolais-style fermentation, but has shortened the length of time in vat in the last few vintages to avoid undue astringency.

The 2011 has a black purple colour and glorious nose. This is full and complex, a magical and exciting wine, beautifully rich. Tannins are certainly present but not hard and dry. It has a very long aftertaste and all the vibrancy of the best wines of the vintage.
France > Beaujolais > Moulin A Vent

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£22.50

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£203.40 Saving £66.60

Bottle 6 x 75cl4cs

£71.76

Bottle 6 x 75cl1cs

£75.00

Bottle 6 x 75cl2cs

£150.00
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2015 Moulin à Vent, La Rochelle, Olivier Merlin

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2015 Moulin à Vent, La Rochelle, Olivier Merlin
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France > Beaujolais > Moulin A Vent

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£90.66
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2012 Moulin à Vent, Les Rouchaux, Thibault Liger-Belair

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2012 Moulin à Vent, Les Rouchaux, Thibault Liger-Belair
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Les Rouchaux is a single 1.5 ha plot at mid slope, close to the windmill itself, on sandy and alluvial soil with outcrops of blue granite manganese, with 70 year old vines. A concentrated wine from a very small crop here too, just 16 hl/ ha of very healthy fruit. Jet black purple in colour, this displays a bundle of dark fruit energy, good acidity, a wine that really shows the terroir more than the Gamay grape.
France > Beaujolais > Moulin A Vent

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£23.00

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£90.48
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2012 Moulin à Vent, Vieilles Vignes, Thibault Liger-Belair

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2012 Moulin à Vent, Vieilles Vignes, Thibault Liger-Belair
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Rich dark purple, previewing the opulent bouquet which includes some slightly chocolatey notes along with some mulberry fruit, before a crunchy mineral finish. Good weight and length.
France > Beaujolais > Moulin A Vent
2 Reviews

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£23.00

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£124.20 Saving £13.80

Bottle 6 x 75cl97cs

£90.48
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2013 Moulin à Vent, Vieilles Vignes, Thibault Liger-Belair

2013 Moulin à Vent, Vieilles Vignes, Thibault Liger-Belair
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The 2013 Moulin-à-Vent Vieilles Vignes comes from 60- to 80-year-old vines. It has a very subtle and complex bouquet of blackberry, boysenberry and mineral scents that unfold in the glass.

The palate is medium-bodied with supple black fruit on the entry, but the back end exerts quite a grip. It does not quite have the panache of other vintages that I have tasted, but it is still an impressive Moulin-à-Vent that will repay those with the patience to cellar for several years.
Neal Martin - Wine Advocate - robertparker.com - Apr 2015
France > Beaujolais > Moulin A Vent

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£23.00

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Bottle 6 x 75cl167cs

£71.76
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2013 Moulin à Vent, Les Rouchaux, Thibault Liger-Belair

2013 Moulin à Vent, Les Rouchaux, Thibault Liger-Belair
Ready, but will improve,
The 2013 Moulin-à-Vent Les Rouchaux spent 12 to 15 months in barrel. Compared to the 2013 La Roche, the fruit here is less broody and more open, some red cherries beginning to appear with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with a lightly spiced opening, chalky tannin, and a focused, intense finish that leaves boysenberry and citrus fruit on the aftertaste. This is an excellent, modern-style Moulin-à-Vent.
Neal Martin - Wine Advocate - robertparker.com - Apr 2015
France > Beaujolais > Moulin A Vent

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£23.00

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£248.40 Saving £27.60

Bottle 6 x 75cl61cs

£90.48
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2013 Moulin à Vent, La Rochelle, Olivier Merlin

2013 Moulin à Vent, La Rochelle, Olivier Merlin
Ready, but will improve,
Superb even purple colour. The nose begins discreetly but then begins to expand wonderfully, a lovely smooth rich fruit throughout, total harmony, very lovely long and fine. In recent vintages Olivier has pursued a lighter touch in extraction, allowing the fruit from ancient vines to be expressed more graciously.
France > Beaujolais > Moulin A Vent

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£76.74
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2013 Moulin à Vent, La Roche, Thibault Liger-Belair

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2013 Moulin à Vent, La Roche, Thibault Liger-Belair
Ready, but will improve,
The 2013 Moulin-à-Vent La Roche was tighter on the nose that the 2013 Vieilles Vignes, but I think ultimately it will have more fruit concentration with those powerful bilberry and boysenberry scents intact. The palate is medium-bodied with a saline entry, a light grip to the tannin and a chalky, rather stern finish. It needs to just lighten up a tad, but there is still great potential locked into Thibault Liger-Belair's Beaujolais.
Neal Martin - Wine Advocate - robertparker.com - Dec 2015
France > Beaujolais > Moulin A Vent

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£27.50

Case price (11)
£272.25 Saving £30.25

Bottle 6 x 75cl46cs

£110.76

Magnum

£59.00

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£119.76
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2013 Moulin à Vent, Les Vignes Centenaires, Thibault Liger-Belair

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2013 Moulin à Vent, Les Vignes Centenaires, Thibault Liger-Belair
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Dark cherry colour. Dark fruit, a little spiced but all very gentle and intense at the same time. Rounded, velvety but firm tannins, lots more chew than most of these wines. Complex, gentle but not very expressive though you can feel the depth and effortless concentration.
Jancis Robinson MW - jancisrobinson.com - Feb 2016
France > Beaujolais > Moulin A Vent

Magnum

£79.00

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£164.76
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2011 Moulin à Vent, La Roche, Thibault Liger-Belair

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2011 Moulin à Vent, La Roche, Thibault Liger-Belair
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Glowing purple, amazingly noble nose, much more grip behind, good acidity and also the minerality of the top of the slope. More tannin, indeed more of everything, compared to the first two delectable wines. Clearly a wine with great ageing potential.
Jasper Morris MW, Beaujolais Buying Director


Domaine Thibault Liger-Belair
Though happily established in Nuits-St Georges, Thibault trained at a viticultural college in Beaujolais where ancestors of his once had vines. Starting with the 2009 vintage, Thibault has begun to build up a portfolio of vineyards within the appellation of Moulin à Vent. His wines are some of the most fabulous we have ever tasted from the region.
France > Beaujolais > Moulin A Vent

Bottle 6 x 75cl1cs

£114.00
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2011 Moulin-à-Vent, Vieilles Vignes, Thibault Liger-Belair

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2011 Moulin-à-Vent, Vieilles Vignes, Thibault Liger-Belair
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This Moulin à Vent cuvée comes from seven plots on granite soil, with vines aged from 65 to 85 years. Dense purple black in colour, with just a whiff of oak on the nose alongside the superbly concentrated fruit. This is a wine of impressive density.
Jasper Morris MW, Beaujolais Buying Director
France > Beaujolais > Moulin A Vent
2 Reviews

Bottle 6 x 75cl2cs

£150.00
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2009 Moulin à Vent, La Roche, Thibault Liger-Belair

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2009 Moulin à Vent, La Roche, Thibault Liger-Belair
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This plot is on one of Moulin à Vent’s prime sites, almost next door to Olivier Merlin’s La Rochelle. There is hardly any topsoil and the vines are 80 years old. Fine, bright, full purple in colour, this wine displays a sense of nobility which stands out. An immensely classy bouquet – brilliant, suave, balanced and exceptionally fine on the palate. A wine to lay down.
(Jasper Morris MW, BBR Buyer)
France > Beaujolais > Moulin A Vent
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Bottle 12 x 75cl5cs

£220.00
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Showing 1-14 out of 14 items