I have a confession – I’ve never had Gamay before :X My good friend @megandmerlot is a big fan, so I was excited to try a bottle of 2016 Vignobles Bulliat Moulin-à-Vent.

Noël Bulliat and his son Loïc run this family estate that covers 27 hectares in eight different appellations in the heart of the Beaujolais region. It all started when Noël bought 4 hectares of Beaujolais Villages in 1978, straight after having graduated from viticulture school. Today, the estate produces around 70,000 bottles per year.

The estate started switching to organic practices in 2010 and was officially certified in 2013. Only natural products are used to fight illnesses. Grass is growing between the vines on 3/4 of the plots to avoid the use of herbicides and to limit yields. As a result, erosion has been halted, making an easier passage for the tractors, and grape picking is always done by hand.

The wine was medium ruby in color with a hint of purple. It had a very fruit forward aroma of ripe berries. It tasted very fresh and juicy with red fruits, nice acidity, and light tannins. I paired it with Thanksgiving turkey dinner. It’s $17.99 at ABC Fine Wine & Spirits. Such a delicious value.