Ophelie Dutraive - Moulin a Vent 2019

Region: Moulin a Vent / Beaujolais / France

Grapes: Gamay

Soft pale red. Plenty of ripe raspberry, raspberry leaf and cool minerality. Lots of whole bunch spice adding interest too. The palate is lithe and delicious upfront then builds with acidity first followed by tannins belying the cooler northern site. Finishes with ample red fruit and a burst of Szechuan pepper. Delicious, especially with decanting.

NERD NOTES

This is the new project from Ophélie Dutraive. Starting with a small 0.3ha rented plot of very old vines in the lieu-dit of Les Meterees in Moulin-a-Vent and a further 0.2ha newly planted.

The winemaking uses traditional winemaking techniques continue a la Grand’Cour. Carbonic fermentation is encouraged by using whole bunches in cement vats blanketed by CO2 and temperatures are kept cool to slow the start of natural fermentation. No sulphur is used during fermentation or élevage, which take place in a mix of cuves (tanks), old barriques and an old foudre or two. All wines are bottled unfined and unfiltered with a tiny addition of SO2 at bottling only.