Tasted in Romanèche-Thorins with Yohan Lardy, 17 February 2022.
Domaine Yohan Lardy
162 route de la Mairie,
71570 Romanèche-Thorins
Tel: +33 6 29 53 74 86
www.yohan-lardy.com
Yohan comes from a family of winemakers – his father, Lucien Lardy, has an estate in Fleurie.
Yohan’s own exploitation is 10 years old – 2012 was his first vintage after a stint working in Chile. Yohan started with 2 hectares of vines – but old vines in Moulin à Vent’s Les Michelons – today the domaine has 5.5 ha in Les Michelons and 7 hectares in total and it’s Johan who does all the work in the vines: “It’s sufficient hectares that I can still do the work properly – on my own – but not forgetting that my wife does the office work!”
And the last couple of vintages?
“2021 was 50% of a normal harvest, though it was the white that was really bad – not just frost but black rot too – but the reds on the mid-slope were not bad. Now if all vintages were like 2020 we would be very happy – a little dry in the summer but very happy – enough yield and great quality. The wines were bottled in July last year – I waited for the equinox!”
The wines…
Very good first wines and a simply great ‘calling-card’ of a wine from Johan – it’s really worth a special search!
Yohan says “I always recommend opening 15-20 minutes before drinking as I don’t use much sulfur so the wines are more serious in bottle.” Indeed, he used no added sulfur (or yeasts) during the fermentations and elevage, choosing to add just a small amount of sulfur when it’s time to bottle:
2020 Fleurie Le Vivier
Bright, wide, airy – slightly darker fruit. Wide but fluid, lovely texture. Growing vibrant but always with a good depth of fruit here.. Dark fruit in the finish always with a super energy. That’s potentially an excellent wine.
2020 Moulin à Vent Les Michelons
This the first parcel of the domaine.
That’s fine and perfumed – but with depth too – really a great invitation. Wider, fresher – more clarity of flavour – just a little tannin – without grain. Structural and always interesting. That’s an excellent wine – but be patient with it – beautifully perfumed finishing – Super.
This parcel is also in the same climate of Les Michelons. There are no replacement vines here – ‘of course there are a few holes from missing vines – but all are original – yes one year I might have to replace because in a big year it’s 25 hl/ha, this year it’s only 15 hl/ha – it’s not a wine that makes any money but it’s my calling card!’
The same slightly spiced freshness – less wide but with more depth of aroma and a slowly evolving floral perfume. Direct – top texture – gorgeous, layered, mobile flavour. That’s simply a great wine and worth a special search. Never heavy, just a gorgeous thing. A great finish!
2012 Moulin à Vent Les Michelons – first vintage
This all barrel elevage
Ooh – that’s a forward and very attractive nose – super energy, faintly evolved but really showing more freshness than age. The easy fluid style of the vintage today but with extra accents of complexity. Still a little frame of tannin but without grain. Cool delicious, faintly spiced fruit.
2021 Beaujolais Villages Blanc
That’s a fine, open, fresh nose – attractive. Also in the mouth, there’s minerality and a little salinity too – but nothing of rigour – just a delicious, fleshy fruit – almost a little sweet melon in style.