2021 Domaine Saint-Cyr Moulin-à-Vent "La Bruyère", Beaujolais, France

ABOUT THIS WINE

Since taking over the family domaine, Raphael has slowly but surely steered the domaine towards a lighter, fresher style. 2018 was the first vintage of the "new" Moulin-a-Vent made in the classic cold carbonic method of the legendary cru Beaujolais. It's another notch for Saint Cyr, who is slowly but surely crafting wine equal to the legendary masters of the Beaujolais. The results were so successful that starting in 2019, Raphael has vinified all of his red wines using cold carbonic - the homegrown, Beaujolais method of natural winemaking.

ABOUT THIS PRODUCER

Raphael Saint-Cyr is the fourth generation vigneron at the Domaine Saint-Cyr, which was created by his great-grandfather, Pierre Saint-Cyr. The estate is located in Anse, found at the southern edge of the Beaujolais. When Raphael took over the winemaking in 2008, he let go of a large portion of Beaujolais vines around the winery and acquired vines further north in the crus of Morgon, Regnié, Chénas, and Moulin-à-Vent. Having seen his grandfather and uncle get sick from the chemicals used to treat their vines, Raphael was immediately convinced to convert the entire 23 hectare domaine to certified organic viticulture, making Domaine Saint Cyr one of the largest organic domaines in the Beaujolais.

Beginning in 2017, Raphael began to experiment with cold carbonic fermentation and shorter aging for a cru Beaujolais with the single-vineyard Chénas Les Journets. Following the successful reception of this wine, all of the red wines today are vinified using cold carbonic fermentation since 2019. Always searching to improve his work in the vineyard and the quality of his wines, in 2020, Raphael began plowing his own vines with two Comtois drafthorses, Samba and El Suegno. Domaine Saint-Cyr represents the very best of the Beaujolais - joie de vivre and generosity above all, backed up by good people and solid work in the vineyards and cellar.