Tasted in Moulin à Vent with Nicolas Mielly, 08 February 2017.

Domaine Labruyère
310 Des Thorins
71570 Romanèche-Thorins
Tel: +33 3 85 20 38 18
www.domaine-labruyere.com

Nicolas on 2016:
“There was an enormous amount of rain which was really the problem in April and May, which give a big boost all the maladies you can think of such as mildew – which was hard to cope with when you have environmental certification – quite a number left their certification in 2016 because of that. Here we were touched in MAV mainly at the bottom of the hill by the hail – some areas losing 100% – happily from August there was a good dryness and good weather. So we had really good maturity and about 35 hl/ha – so a good result in the end. If I had to put a number on it, we lost between 2 and 3 hectares of produce through the hail.”

Nicolas on 2015:
“2015 was really a very different vintage. It was very dry at the end and our yields were only in the mid 20’s, hectolitres per hectare. We thought the style of the wines a little like 2009 to start with, but slowly we see that there is a superior balance in the 2015, despite also more alcohol – 14.5° for some…”

The wines…

Bottling is planned for April for all the wines – and it’s a super set of wines – for aging!

2015 Moulin à Vent Coeur de Terroirs Vieilles-Vignes
This label since 2012, a blend of parcels of 8-10 ha depending on the vintage. Predominantly from granite soils rich in quartz. 27-28 hl/ha in this vintage. 100% destemmed, maceration with thermo-regulation (radiators) for about 18 days total cuvaison, barrels and tanks for elevage – old barrels from Jacques Prieur with, perhaps, 2% new oak. This cuvée generates about 30,000 bottles.
A wide and silky dark nose, faint accents of spice. There’s a little gas here, and a nicely layered delivery of dark fruit. A wave of finishing flavour that is really excellently persistent.

2015 Moulin à Vent Champ de Cour
1.5 hectares worth, of south-east facing granitic plot with clay. A parcel selection, where there is a little more depth of soil. The second vintage with whole clusters in the fermentation – elevage in demi-muids – one-year-old.
A more open nose of extra freshness, floral with a very faint spice. More energy, more open and mobile flavour perspective – a little drag of tannin at the base – but really a wine that has layers of flavour, in the finish too – here with a suggestion of licorice. Excellent persistence again.

2015 Moulin à Vent le Carquelin
Share this clos with Jadot – On granite rose and sand direct south-facing, taking the name of the parcel like the last wine. 1.75 hectares worth. Destemmed completely, elevage in 228 litre barrels plus demi-muids – maybe 5% new barrels.
A really deep nose, suggestions of fermentation notes. In the mouth this is very fresh, but also very ripe – almost a suggestion of volatility in this sample – I think it will be different when it’s actually ready to bottle! Worth seeing again…