Description
Maison Le Nid, Moulin-à-Vent “Tradition”
Over the past 10-15 years, Cru Beaujolais has become a bottomless well of incredible Burgundy value, with Moulin-à-Vent serving as its veritable “king.” And despite rising global demand for these elegant, fresh, sneakily powerful reds, we keep unearthing the most remarkable wines the region has to offer—wines of real depth and quality that are still available for a relative pittance. Maison Le Nid’s 2018 Moulin-à-Vent “Tradition” presents all the above and more.
In less than five years’ time, this red-hot estate has (1) earned a prominent front-page feature in Revue du Vin de France, (2) led Bettane+Desseauve to declare it a “domaine to monitor closely,” and (3) been a go-to pour at one of France’s most renowned three-Michelin-star restaurants. Clearly, Le Nid is long overdue for some US exposure. But even more extraordinary here is the price: At just $29 per bottle—available exclusively through us—this is an early contender for your WOTY list!
Not surprisingly, the quality here is tied directly to the vineyards. Beaujolais, like its more aristocratic northern cousins in the Côte d’Or, has its own hierarchy of favored villages and sites. And in this region, Moulin-à-Vent sits at the top of the 10 Crus, offering incredible profundity and longevity, with the most structured, age-worthy wines coming from right around the namesake windmill. There, of course, sits newcomer Maison Le Nid, with the Lardet family quietly working their tiny six-hectare property and offering up what are quickly becoming new benchmark wines for the appellation. Since buying the estate in 2012, the family of five (Paul and Danielle Lardet along with their three children, Delphine, Jocelyn, and Stéphane) have put a lot of effort and resources into making top-end wines at an amazingly affordable price.
Their specs would shame vignerons at even the most storied addresses. For “Cuvée Tradition,” they turn to a mix of sites on either side of the hill, where the Gamay vines are densely planted (10,000 per hectare) in the scree of pink granite and manganese. The 50-year-old vines are gobelet trained and must be worked solely by hand. Harvests are also by hand, of course, and the Lardets select only the most pristine bunches. The yields are ludicrously low, less than what might be allowable by law in, say, Grand Cru Musigny!
Once at the cellar, winemaking is fairly traditional, with a partial de-stemming of the bunches for a punch of vivid fruit, before going into steel tanks for a two-week maceration to build structure. The wine is barreled down to old oak foudres for 10 months to further delineate the rich fruit and to integrate the firm tannins Moulin-à-Vent usually brings. Here, the excellent 2018 vintage has turned out stellar and harmonious wines that go toe-to-toe with the giants of Cru Beaujolais.
Pop the cork on this 2018 and pour into a Burgundy stem for that unmistakable, gorgeous crimson-purple robe of Gamay. A dynamic and intense nose of red and black fruits follows quickly with billowing scents of blackcurrants, Morello cherries, licorice, and peppery spice. On the mouth-filling palate, you get rich red fruits, full of ripe berries and fleshy plums, supported by fine tannins and some meaty notes. All lead to a fresh, succulent, and long finish. My advice is to buy and drink this wine with abandon, but save a few bottles for down the road. It’s insanely delicious now, but undoubtedly has the stuffing to age 10+ years. Although you could pair with a classic roast chicken, Gamay takes to food like no other wine; with a slight chill, you can also match it with a dazzling array of foods like lightly spiced Thai dishes or a delicious—and completely meat-free—Moroccan vegetable tagine from Nopa Restaurant in San Francisco. This dish has not left the menu in 16 years!
