Maison l’Envoyé 2020 Moulin-à-Vent “Terre de Thé” ($19.99)

Maison L’Envoye Moulin-à-Vent ‘Terre de Thé” shows a beautiful dark purplish color in the glass, with bright ruby glints against the light. Aromas of delicious red cherry and black plum fill the nose and spill over into a fresh, medium-bodied flavor framed by mouth-watering acidity and soft, palatable tannins. Bright cherry fruit and a subtle impression of chalky minerality linger on the palate with a whiff of spice in in a clean, lingering finish. 13.5% alcohol. U.S. importer: Old Bridge Cellars, Napa, Calif. (May 24, 2023)

FOOD MATCH: The kinship of Beaujolais with Burgundy begins to show as versatile food-friendliness in these top bottles from named villages. The Moulin-à-Vent page on the Beaujolais.com website suggests pairing good Moulin-à-Vent wines with rabbit in mustard sauce, veal kidneys or stuffed turkey, adding that veggie lovers will enjoy them with eggplant, whether in lasagna, au gratin, cake or fritters. We enjoyed it with a hearty Italian-American bean-and-tomato stew bulked up with Beyond Steak Tips and spiced with Calabrian chile peppers.

WHEN TO DRINK: These bigger, brawnier Beaujolais, particularly from hillside vineyards in the north of the region like Moulin-à-Vent, can benefit from cellaring. The producer suggests drinking it between now and 2027.

VALUE:
My local price matches Wine-Searcher.com’s $21 average U.S. retail. This excellent wine is a good bargain near or even several dollars above this price point.

WEB LINK:
The back label QR code leads to this informative fact sheet in English on the Maison l’Envoyé page.

FIND THIS WINE ONLINE:
Check prices and find vendors for Maison L’Envoye Moulin-à-Vent “Terre de Thé” on Wine-Searcher.com.

Learn more about Moulin-à-Vent and browse dozens of wines from the region at this Wine-Searcher link.

Follow this Wine-Searcher link to read about the Gamay grape and fine links to scores of wines made with this variety.