Tasted in Moulin à Vent with Stéphane Lardet, 21 February 2018.
Maison Le Nid
Hameau Moulin à Vent
71570 Romanèche-Thorins
Tel: +33 6 82 88 61 01
www.lenid.fr
I’ve previously tasted with Delphine Lardet, but given the impositions of her new baby, I tasted with her brother Stéphane.
Stéphane on 2017:
“In 2017 we were hailed 50% – so it’s a black vintage for us – and it had started so well, too. In 15 minutes the storm went one way then came back the other! It was as much a sand-storm as a hail-storm – I’d call it a tempest. After that, the high parcels didn’t produce more than 10 hl/ha, but the quality of what we had at harvest was a very good quality – it was more a question of how much(?)”
Stéphane on 2016:
“2016 was better! A little in the direction of 2015. We made the wines with an elevage a little more ‘bourguignone’ with a mix of barrels of different ages but for 14 months – the same for the parcel selections. The ‘Tradition’ was whole clusters with multiple parcels but all close to the windmill – elevage in foudres – 60-70 year-old. We were very close to the hail in 2016 but fortunately we weren’t hit – unlike many of our neighbours.”
The wines…
For its extra freshness I preferred the single 2016 that was shown, despite the occasionally grandiose impression given by one of these 2015s.
The 2016 ‘Tradition’ has been in bottle for a month but the other 2016s only a few days, so Stéphane preferred to show his 2015s – which is the currently commercial vintage.
This was bottled last month.
A nice redness of berry-fruit – freshness too – this is very inviting and becoming more-so as some floral accents appear. Ooh – may not be the most concentrated wine, it may also not be the biggest wine of 2016, but it’s open, complex and absolutely delicious. There is a modest structure on which to hang the freshness and complexity, but really this is open and will be a beauty – wait! More than excellent!
2015 Moulin à Vent ‘Tradition’
Very deeply coloured. A deep nose, almost liqueur kirsch fruit. Bigger in the mouth, concentrated yet open – very well textured with a super-fine tannin at the base. The fruit is macerating, raisined and alcoholic in style yet with fresh flowers too. Honestly, as much wine as there is here, I prefer the 2016 of this. Good finish!
2015 Moulin à Vent La Rochelle
60 year-old vines just at the foot of Roche Grès, quite granitic, with elevage of about 14 months in 4-5 year-old barrels. Half destemmed with barrels of 3 years.
A much more interesting nose that’s wide and spiced, again accented with flowers – lovely. Concentrated but with a nice line of flavour – fresh flavour despite the concentration and growing intensity. This is really way better than the last with width and complexity of flavour. Excellent.
2015 Moulin à Vent Rochegrés
70 year-old vines at the top of the hill.
A nose that sits part-way between the previous two wines with a more overt floral character. Ooh, this has an insinuating depth of flavour – it ingrains the palate – it’s a big wine and for waiting for, but with a fine finish. Lovely, though today I’d certainly be taking the 2016 Tradition or the 2015 La Rochelle in preference.