Moulin-à-Vent, Beaujolais, France

Moulin-à-Vent is the most structured and age worthy of the elite ten Cru’s of Beaujolais. I was told that Patrick Bertrand, the owner of Domaine de la Merize, has proudly been to Paris – once. Which isn’t actually true according to my Uncle he actually went to a tractor exhibition 20km south of Paris. Patrick says he is not from Beaujolais, like his father and grandfather, he is from Moulin-à-Vent.

A quietly spoken mischievous man with arms like Popeye, I know that he is immensely proud of his wines and his region, but would certainly never say so.

The reasons why his wines are so good is simple: firstly – the vine age (on average sixty years old), secondly – vineyard location. The vines are situated on various aspects, which provide him with fruit with different flavours and structures. Unsurprisingly, Patrick does not use any oak nor, for that matter, any new fangled vinification methods; these are true, honest and traditional wines.

Patrick makes honest delicious wines through hard work and attention to detail. However please be careful! If you ever happen to visit Domaine de la Merize and Patrick invites you into his Cave (and he will)…be warned, you may be there for some time as he is very generous and thorough with his tastings!