Who makes it
Édouard Parinet and Brice Laffond currently manage Château du Moulin-à-Vent. The estate's wines come from named Moulin-à-Vent terroirs, including Champ de Cour, Les Vérillats, La Rochelle and Clos de Londres.
Estate winemaking evolved toward softer extraction, reduced oak ageing and greater whole-bunch fermentation. These choices aim for a refined, supple texture in the wines.
Where it grows
Moulin-à-Vent is a Beaujolais appellation for Gamay. The producer's range separates the appellation into wines from multiple terroirs and named sites.
Les Vérillats sits at 300m on sandy, shallow soils, producing wines marked by charm and audacity. La Rochelle comes from granite-silica and clay soils, with wines that can be austere in their youth.
What they make
Couvent des Thorins is the broadest style in the range, a fresh, fruity and accessible wine blended from multiple terroirs. The Château du Moulin-à-Vent reference cuvée is fine.
Champ de Cour combines darker fruit with a muscular build. Its full-bodied palate has lively tannins and a long finish, with a couple of years needed for the wine to soften fully. Les Vérillats is brighter and more vivid, with focused berry and cherry fruit and mineral notes.