This past summer I had the pleasure to spend some time in Beaujolais, and to enjoy a leisurely and in depth visit with Jean-Jacques Parinet at the Château du Moulin-à-Vent.
 
In some ways the “brand” Beaujolais was destroyed by its own success as a gluggable innocuous light fruity beverage – something more akin to simple rosé than serious red wine.

Yet in the serious “Cru” Beaujolais villages in the past twenty years there has been something of a renaissance for serious wine, and in Moulin a Vent that has been led by Jean-Jacques Parinet and his son Edouard at the Château du Moulin-à-Vent. I say ‘renaissance’ because in former times it was well understood that Moulin-à-Vent was an ageworthy wine, highly priced on old Nicolas wine lists, and listed on prestigious menu cards alongside the great wines of Burgundy, Bordeaux and Mosel(le).

The Parinets make separate Moulin-à-Vent from each vineyard – each with its own terroir and characteristics. This is serious, nuanced wine full of personality, and they age well. Yet they have not lost their sunny charm, nor the Gamay grape’s delicious fruitiness.
 
If you haven’t done so, tasting Moulin-à-Vent from different vineyards from the same vintage can be the same sort of revelation it is when you do this with Burgundy or Mosel estates.

This evening we will taste across the range of 2014s – my favourite vintage to date, as well as tasting examples back to the Parinet’s first – 2009, to see how they evolve in the cellar. This will be led by Edouard Parinet.
 
All this will be matched to a fine menu at the exciting new Piccolo Concepts restaurant opening Beet in Kau U Fong, Central.