Richard Rottiers - Moulin-à-Vent Dernier Souffle 2022

Bettane & Desseauve

About the domain :

Richard Rottiers was one of the hardest hit by the incessant hail of recent vintages. Close to the breaking point, he has managed to find a second wind in good-quality cuvées for the trade. The 2018s were just finishing barrel ageing at the time of our visit. The quality is superb and should give our dear winegrower some respite. Meanwhile, the 2017s, currently on sale, are consistent, structured and, despite modest quantities, reasonably priced.

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

About the wine:

Moulin-à-Vent Dernier Souffle 2022 is a powerful wine with aromas of stewed blackberry, kirsch, cocoa and sweet earth. It's medium- to full-bodied and classically structured, with firm, fine-grained tannins supporting the heavy concentration of velvety fruit. It's just beginning to reveal its black pepper and wet stone salinity nuances that appear on the finish. I recommend cellaring this wine for a few years to allow the elements to amalgamate.

About the domain :

One of the region's most dedicated organic farmers, Richard Rottiers suffered during the 2016 and 2017 vintages that saw Moulin-à-Vent ravaged by hail. But 2018 represented a return to a kind of normalcy, and he produced a fine set of wines; a feat he has replicated with a 2019 portfolio that are livelier and finer than their predecessors. Semi-carbonic maceration is followed by barrel and foudre ageing, depending on the cuvée. Everything reviewed here comes highly recommended.

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France

About the domain :

Richard Rottiers belongs to the generation that brought the Beaujolais climats to the fore. An agricultural and environmental engineer, he is passionate about soil life. After a spell in New Zealand, this child of Chablis settled in Romanèche-Thorins. He began winemaking in Fleurie in 2003, then spent three years training in the vineyard and cellar at Château Thivin. In 2008, he took over an estate in Moulin-à-Vent, which he worked organically. He entered the guide last year.

Wine Enthusiast

Jancis Robinson

Vinous A. Galloni

About the wine:

The Moulin-à-Vent Dernière Souffle 2022 comes from the parcel behind the cemetery (as the name suggests), and Mr. Rottiers told me he was in the process of buying the parcel from the owner just 15 days after my visit. On the nose, this wine presents lively aromas of red cherry and cranberry, with hints of blackcurrant in the background. The palate is medium-bodied with a fine line of acidity, fresh and saline with a lively, graphite-tinged finish. This is a lovely, breathtaking Moulin-à-Vent.

James Suckling

About the wine:

Aromas of wild blueberry, strawberry, lavender, stone and dried mint. Medium-bodied, lively and bright, with tight tannins. I like the minty, mineral freshness at the end. Made from organically grown grapes. For drinking or cellaring.