NEW YORK, April 17, 2024 — On April 17, 1924, the Appellation d’Origine (AO) Moulin-à-Vent was created by the vignerons from the two villages of Romanèche and Thorins to counter the rise in fraudulent wines induced by the growing reputation of Moulin-à-Vent. Twelve years before being awarded AOC status, the newly born AO was thus one of the very first to be created in France and naturally chose to name itself for the historic and emblematic windmill.
As this momentous anniversary approaches, Château du Moulin-à-Vent, in partnership with fine wine marketer Wilson Daniels, is pleased to announce the release of the 2021 vintage of the winery’s complete range, culminating in a series of trade, press, and consumer events in the US and across Europe.
“Time is the best ally for the vine and wine – Château du Moulin-à-Vent has reaped the benefits of time for the last 100 years, and even since 1732,” said Proprietor Edouard Parinet, referring to the earliest recorded history of the Château in this distinguished region. “There are a lot of exciting and tangible opportunities for the future of the appellation, including the ability of Gamay to adapt in a challenging climate. This year, the century-old Moulin-à-Vent AO will also begin filing its classification for Premiers Crus.”
Château du Moulin-à-Vent, named for the 500-year-old stone windmill atop the hill of Les Thorins, encompasses 30 hectares of vineyards containing the appellation’s finest terroirs: Champ de Cour, La Rochelle, Les Vérillats, Les Thorins, La Roche, and Les Caves. Each plot has its own distinctive identity and characteristics that are expressed in the individual wines.
“We have had the privilege of working with the Parinet family since 2014, and their investment in the winemaking facilities and vineyards has resulted in impressive terroir-driven, plot-specific signature Cru Beaujolais,” said Rocco Lombardo, President of Wilson Daniels. “The 100th anniversary marks an important milestone in the history and future of the Moulin-à-Vent legacy, and I speak on behalf of the entire Wilson Daniels team when I say it’s an honor to be part of Château du Moulin-à-Vent’s special place in history.”
Since the Parinet family assumed ownership of the estate in 2009, with Edouard Parinet now at the helm, it has made considerable investments across the winery and vineyards, including the development of their own massale selection; the conversion to organic practices in 2013 with organic certification to commence in 2024; and recruiting more than 100 pickers for hand-harvesting to ensure optimal maturity of the Gamay.
Parinet adds, “An everlasting investment, we have spent our last 15 years sustainably adapting our ultra-dense and very old vineyards, so they continue to give us a generous result of 27 hl/ha on average. The wine’s aging potential comes from the quality of the fruit, and Gamay is the best producer of berry fruit here – centuries have proven it.”
About Wilson Daniels
Founded in 1978, Wilson Daniels is a fully integrated, family-owned marketing and sales company representing a highly selective portfolio of the world’s most distinctive wines. Wilson Daniels continues to pursue and elevate the standards of excellence set by founders Win Wilson and Jack Daniels through developing long-term, strategic partnerships with luxury producers that possess profound respect for terroir and are benchmarks in their region. To learn more about Wilson Daniels, visit www.wilsondaniels.com.
