Domaine Jules Desjourneys Moulin à Vent Les Styx 2015

Domaine Jules Desjourneys is the project of Fabien Duperray in Moulin-à-Vent, the most structured of the Beaujolais crus, at the southern end of Burgundy in central-eastern France. The wine is pure Gamay from old vines, where the focus stays firmly on work in the vineyard. Moulin-à-Vent's pink granite soils, rich in manganese, give Gamay an unusual depth and a firmer tannin than the lighter crus, which lets these wines age. The continental climate and old, low-yielding vines concentrate the fruit. Duperray intervenes little after fermentation and holds the wine back, usually waiting two winters before bottling, so it gains complexity with slow time in cellar. This 2015 is a mature example. The colour is a deep, slightly evolved ruby. The nose is intense and spicy, with black cherry and red berry over rose, liquorice, smoke and a note of tar. The palate is harmonious and medium bodied, with bright acidity, fine but present tannin and an earthy, savoury finish. Serve at 15 to 16 degrees in a Burgundy glass. It is a good match for duck and game birds.