Sebastien Besson 'Les Verillats' Moulin à Vent 2023 (750ml)

100% Gamay
Fermentation Concrete & Stainless, Indigenous yeasts
Aging 10 months
Filter / Fining None
ABV 13%
Farming Methods Organic

The 2023 ‘Les Vérillats’ Moulin-à-Vent comes from one of the appellation’s most
celebrated lieu dits, a hillside site around 300 meters in elevation where old bush-trained Gamay vines dig deep into the thin pink granite soils streaked with manganese. Facing east and southeast, the vines are swept by steady winds that keep the fruit healthy and concentrated, giving this cru its reputation for structure and age-worthiness. The hand-harvested grapes were cooled overnight before undergoing natural whole cluster fermentation in concrete vats for 17 days, followed by a gentle pressing. The wine then rested for 10 months in used French barrique before bottling, with only a touch of sulfites and no fining or filtration. In the glass, it shows both depth and lift, with aromas of black cherry, violet, and wild herbs over a savory, mineral core. The palate is layered and powerful, yet fresh, with fine tannins and bright acidity carrying through to a long, resonant finish. A Moulin-à-Vent with gravitas and precision, built to age but already singing in its youth.

There is a very exciting renaissance that has been happening in the Beaujolais region of France, and at its core is a new generation of winemakers that have learned everything they know from their progenitors. To pair with that unparalleled guidance, there is a youthful energy and worldly view that is taking the wines and the region to new heights. Sébastien Besson is now the fourth generation of the family to take the helm at Domaine du Penlois, which originated in the 1920’s by his great-grandfather Benoît, situated on a small hill called Lancié (nestled in between Morgon, Fleurie, and Moulin-à-Vent). Sébastien’s father, Maxence, took over in 1977 and accrued more and more Cru vineyards in the region, giving the Domaine 30 hectares in total. While making the sustainably farmed Domaine wines with his father, Sébastien began an eponymous project in 2016. He converted small granite-rich plots on the property to strict organic farming, spanning not only portions of their Village Appellation sites, but parcels of three Crus as well (a total of 7 hectares). With natural fermentations and aging in concrete vats, and a small sulfur addition before bottling, the wines of Sébastien Besson are pure, driven, and remarkable expressions of top Beaujolais.

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