Yohan Lardy Moulin-à-Vent Cru Les Michelons 2021

Yohan Lardy Moulin-à-Vent Les Michelons 2021 is a serious, terroir-driven Beaujolais that shows just how deep and complex Gamay can be. Sourced from one of the cru’s most prized sites, this red combines concentration and finesse with a clarity of fruit that’s impossible to ignore. It stands out as a Burgundian-style interpretation of Beaujolais: structured, ageworthy, and crafted with uncompromising attention to detail.

Tasting Notes
In the glass, Les Michelons 2021 presents a deep ruby colour with vibrant purple reflections, hinting at both intensity and freshness. The nose opens with pure black cherry and wild raspberry, followed by violets, peony, and crushed granite minerality. With air, more savoury notes emerge: subtle black tea, dried herbs, and a touch of sweet spice. On the palate, the wine is precise and layered, with juicy red and dark berry fruit framed by fine-grained tannins and a lively, mouth-watering acidity. There’s a distinct mineral backbone from the granite soils, giving the wine both tension and length. Flavours of ripe cherry, blackcurrant and cranberry intermingle with hints of licorice, graphite, and a faint floral lift on the long, elegant finish. This 2021 has the structure to develop beautifully over the next 6–10 years, gaining complexity and softening its youthful edges, while remaining highly enjoyable in its vibrant, fruit-driven youth.

Production
Les Michelons is a highly regarded lieu-dit within Moulin-à-Vent, known for its steep, well-drained slopes and intensely granitic soils that naturally limit yields and concentrate flavour. Here, Gamay vines dig deep into the pink granite and sand, capturing the region’s hallmark combination of fruit purity and mineral drive. Harvest is typically carried out by hand to ensure careful selection of perfectly ripe bunches. In classic Beaujolais fashion, a proportion of whole clusters is used, often incorporating a gentle, semi-carbonic maceration that preserves aromatics and freshness while still allowing for good extraction of colour and tannin. Fermentation takes place with minimal intervention, often using indigenous yeasts, followed by maturation in neutral vessels (concrete or older barrels) to let the vineyard character, rather than oak, take centre stage.

Food & Serving
This Moulin-à-Vent is a natural match for refined yet flavourful dishes: roast chicken with herbs, duck breast, charcuterie, grilled lamb chops, or classic French bistro fare such as coq au vin and rabbit in mustard sauce. It also pairs beautifully with mushroom dishes, earthy lentil stews, and semi-hard cheeses like Comté or Tomme. Serve at around 14–16°C to highlight both its freshness and depth. A brief decant of 30–45 minutes is recommended in its youth to let the aromatics fully open, while older bottles can be gently poured off their sediment and served without extended aeration.

Producer
Yohan Lardy is part of a new generation of Beaujolais vignerons putting the region’s top crus firmly back on the map. Working primarily with old-vine Gamay in prestigious sites such as Moulin-à-Vent, he focuses on expressing the nuances of terroir rather than chasing volume or overt winemaking signatures. His approach leans towards traditional methods, sustainable vineyard work, and low-intervention cellar practices, resulting in wines that are both authentic and precise. Within the broader Burgundy/Beaujolais landscape, Lardy has quickly gained attention from sommeliers and collectors for producing serious, ageworthy wines that rival many reds from the Côte d’Or in complexity, while remaining true to the vibrant, soulful character of Beaujolais.

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