Domaine du Pourpre Moulin-a-Vent 2020 ~ Beaujolais, France

93/100 James Suckling
91/100 Roger Voss, Wine Enthusiast
93/100 James Suckling (2019 vintage)
Bronze - Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (2019 vintage)
Bronze - Roger Voss, Wine Enthusiast (2019 vintage)
94-95/100 James Suckling (2019 vintage)
Bronze - Roger Voss, Wine Enthusiast (2018 vintage)

Silver - Les Vinalies

James Suckling "This is very velvety and deep with loads of fruit, highlighted by hints of vanilla and cedar. The palate is full-bodied and shows lots of structured, velvety tannins that give the wine verve and depth. This is always excellent."

Roger Voss, Wine Enthusiast "Spicy and perfumed, this wine offers good structure as well as ripe black fruits. A touch of vanilla highlights the tannins and solid texture."

James Suckling "Plum, dark cherry and some blueberry on the nose with clove, bark and dried violets. It’s medium-to full-bodied with tight-grained tannins and crisp acidity. Sleek and powerful." (2019 vintage)

Robert Parker, Wine Advocate "Offering up discreet aromas of earthy blackcurrant and raspberry fruit, the 2019 Moulin-à-Vent Domaine du Pourpre is medium to full-bodied, with rustic tannins and ripe acids, lacking a little energy and flesh." (2019 vintage)

Roger Voss, Wine Enthusiast "This fifth-generation estate is well placed in the heart of Moulin-à-Vent. The structure and dense black fruits speak to this wine's potential and richness." (2019 vintage)

James Suckling "This shows fantastic potential already with super richness and length. Lots of crushed stones, flowers and dark fruit. Medium to full body, integrated and firm tannins and a long, flavorful finish. Hints of asphalt and tar." (2018 vintage)

Roger Voss, Wine Enthusiast "This wine has structure as well as vibrant black fruits. Its juicy, fruity character contrasts with the open, perfumed flavors." (2018 vintage)

Winemaker "Purple color. Intense and complex nose with floral scents (rose, peony), aromas of black fruits, kirsch notes, enhanced by scents of sweet spices and pepper. The palate is ample, rich, full-bodied with good fat. It offers mentholated, silky and racy tannins which give it a good structure. Good persistence in the finish."

100% Gamay

Decanter "Moulin-à-Vent is considered the ‘king’ of the ten Beaujolais crus for the power, concentration, structure and ageability of its wines."

Domaine du Pourpre is a family-run estate in the commune of Chénas. The Meziat family has been running it for 5 generations. Vines are more than 50 years old.

This wine is produced by Les Vins Georges Duboeuf which is one of the largest wine producers in France founded by the late Georges Duboeuf who was affectionately known as 'le roi du Beaujolais' (the king of Beaujolais) or sometimes pape du Beaujolais (Pope of Beaujolais). Les Vins Georges Duboeuf produces a staggering 3 million cases of wine annually. The company is most well-known for its popularization and production of Beaujolais wines. In 2018 Georges’ passed control of his company to his son Franck Duboeuf, who is considered to be one of the key specialists in Beaujolais, its terroir and its wine, and has shifted production to focus more on Beaujolais Nouveau.

Moulin-à-Vent is situated in the north of the Beaujolais region in France. It is one of the most famous crus and named after the local windmill – the literal translation of the name. It is a historic appellation with a vine-growing history dating back hundreds of years. It was officially granted appellation status in 1936 – one of the first in the country.

Beaujolais is an important wine region of eastern France in the southern part of Burgundy, famous for its vibrant, fruity red wines made from Gamay. It is located immediately south of Burgundy, of which it is sometimes considered to be a part, despite being within the Rhone administrative region. The widespread plantings of Gamay here make Beaujolais one of the few regions of the world to be so focused on a single grape variety. In some vintages, Beaujolais produces more wine than the Burgundy wine regions of Chablis, Côte d'Or, Côte Chalonnaise and Mâconnais put together.

Gamay is a grape variety that is most famous for producing the light, fruit-driven red wines of Beaujolais. While the variety offers fresh, red-fruit and candied aromas, it typically delivers little in the way of flavor concentration and body weight, giving light, simple wines.