Thursday was devoted to Beaujolais and specifically the Crus of Fleurie and Moulin à Vent.
Our first visit was to Château de Poncié in Fleurie where we were greeted by the charming Robin Allouin. Robin introduced us to the estate, gave a rundown of the history of the estate – in Roman times it was known as Villa Ponciago – and then took us on a walk up the hill to view the Fleurie vineyards and explain their organic and biodynamic approach to viticulture.
The estate was owned by Henriot Champagne until 2020 when Jean-Loup Rogé, a Lyon entrepreneur acquired the property. They are investing heavily in both the vineyards and the winemaking infrastructure to develop the already strong brand and high quality wines.
Robin was entertaining and comprehensive in his explanations and we felt well appraised of the nuances of Fleurie production.
From the vineyard to the winery and to the tasting. Having seen the vineyards at first hand, we were now able to explore the results.
A delicious white Beaujolais Villages was followed by their different Fleurie cuvees: Les Hauts de Py, 949, two vintages of Les Moriers and a new Côte de Brouilly.
All were delicious and reflected not only the high quality of the estate but showed the ageing ability that these wines possess. A great visit!
From Chateau de Poncié, it was just seven minutes to lunch at Les Maritonnes hotel in Romanèche-Thorins. We sat outside on the terrace on a beautiful sunny day and enjoyed a goats cheese starter, slow cooked lamb, fromages and a delicious pineapple dessert.
The day was not yet over though. Another seven minute journey took us the esteemed Château du Moulin à Vent. With a history dating back to 1732 (and probably even further back), the estate is one of the best known in the AOC. It is a stunning property and we were expertly hosted by Penelope who took us through the history, the ownership and the philosophy of the estate. Having reviewed the vineyards and understood the importance of the wind channel that creates a unique microclimate, we headed into the winery and historic cellar. The estate ages its wine in oak and this is an integral part of the style and ageing ability of its wines.
From the cellar we headed outside and took a walk to the historic Clos de Londres – their famous walled vineyard.
The tasting on the terrace was amazing. We tasted the 2005, 2011, 2015 and 2021 of the Estate wine and this really showed the incredible ability of Moulin à Vent to age. We then rounded off with three different Climat wines – all the same vintage 2019 – and got even more insight into the importance of terroir.
A great day in the Beaujolais and eye opening for many people.