2016 Louis Jadot Chateau Des Jacques Moulin-à-Vent Clos des Thorins

Chateau des Jacques, located in the village of Romananeche-Thorins in the Moulin-a-Vent appellation, was acquired by Maison Louis Jadot in 1996. The estate includes 196 acres in Moulin-a-Vent and Morgon. Guillaume de Castelnau is the winemaker. Chateau des Jacques was the first Beaujolais producer to be acquired by a major Burgundy maison, and working with the legendary Jacques Lardiere at Maison Louis Jadot, de Castelnau applied Burgundian winemaking methods to his Beaujolais cru wines, notably raising the bar for Beaujolais wines. Maison Louis Jadot is one of Burgundy’s most respected negociants. Founded in 1859 by the Jadot family, the prestige and quality of the estate’s wines were well established in the 19th century. In 1985 the estate was sold to Rudy Kopf, Jadot’s American importer. Long-time Jadot winemaker Jacques Lardiere, who retired in 2012, was legendary for his skill and attention to perfection, and he set a very high standard for winemaking at Jadot.

Moulin-à-Vent is a Beaujolais Cru appellation that takes its charming name from the only windmill, or moulin-à-vent, still in existence in Beaujolais. The picturesque windmill is several hundred years old and features prominently on the labels of some producers in the appellation. Moulin-à-Vent is located in the north central region of Beaujolais, and it includes 1,605 acres of vineyards. Many Beaujolais admirers consider it the “King” of the Beaujolais Crus, and Moulin-à-Vent wines are known for their richness, fullness and their ability to age. Like nearly all of Beaujolais, the grape grown here is Gamay. About 400,000 cases are produced annually.

The Gamay grape produces a light, versatile and food-friendly wine. It is best known for making Beaujolais Nouveau, but it is also grown in Loire and Tours. Thankfully the 14th C. Duke of Burgundy’s degree to ban the grape did not spread through all of France.