Château des Jacques : Clos du Grand Carquelin 2018

Tasting notes and serving suggestions for the Clos du Grand Carquelin 2018 from Château des Jacques

Tasting

Appearance

An intense ruby-red hue defines this wine, enhanced by pronounced violet highlights.

Nose

The nose is expressive and complex, revealing generous aromas of ripe cherry and morello cherry, complemented by floral notes of violet and peony. Spicy touches of licorice and pepper mingle with nuances of coffee and blond tobacco, while a subtle metallic edge evokes the minerality of the granitic terroir.

Palate

The attack is silky and elegant, unveiling a fine yet present tannic structure. The mid-palate offers a fine balance between aromatic concentration and textural finesse, lifted by a savory minerality characteristic of granitic soils. The finish lingers gracefully on spicy, peppery notes, leaving an impression of remarkable length.

Food and wine pairings

This wine pairs perfectly with grilled or slow-cooked red meats, notably beef steaks and dishes in sauce. It also matches well with game and dark poultry such as pigeon. For cheeses, opt for aged sheep’s and goat’s cheeses, as well as semi-hard tomme-style cheeses.

Serving and cellaring

Serve Clos du Grand Carquelin 2018 between 15 and 18°C. Decanting for 30 minutes to an hour will allow the wine to fully open up. This wine has an estimated cellaring potential of 10 to 15 years and can be enjoyed until around 2033. It will express its full complexity after 5 years of aging.

A age-worthy Moulin-à-Vent with Burgundian accents

The estate

Founded in 1924 by Amédée Rousseau at the lieu-dit “Les Jacques” in Romanèche-Thorins, in southern Burgundy, Château des Jacques stands out as a pioneer of Beaujolais’ great wines. Owned by the Kopf family (Maison Louis Jadot) since 1996, the estate has retained its autonomy while benefiting from major investments, including a renovated fermentation cellar in 2017. Its vineyard spans the terroirs of Moulin-à-Vent, Morgon, Fleurie, and a historic chardonnay clos. Hand harvesting, complete destemming, long macerations, and 18 months of aging define a built-to-age style, with no Beaujolais Nouveau.

The vineyard

Clos du Grand Carquelin extends over 5 hectares below the famous 15th-century windmill that gave its name to the Moulin-à-Vent appellation in 1924. Facing southeast on a gentle slope, this historic plot—recognized as early as the 19th century—enjoys an exceptional terroir. Its name comes from the Gallo-Roman term “Carcalié,” meaning “rock that crumbles easily,” referring to the weathered, fractured and partially sandy granites that make up the soil. These granitic sands, more clay-rich and deeper than elsewhere (up to 60 centimeters), include quartz as well as pink and gray granites. The vines, of varying ages, are trained in goblet form for the oldest and on a trellised cordon for those around thirty years old.

The vintage

The 2018 vintage in Beaujolais benefited from generally favorable weather conditions, enabling the production of ripe grapes with robust tannic structures. This vintage stands out for its high quality and substantial yields, offering concentrated wines with excellent aging potential.

Vinification and aging

The grapes for Clos du Grand Carquelin 2018 are hand-harvested in small 15-kilogram crates, then carefully sorted. After near-complete destemming, the berries macerate for 2 to 3 weeks with occasional punch-downs and pump-overs. Fermentation is carried out with indigenous yeasts. Aging lasts 10 to 18 months, combining French oak barrels (from the forests of Nivernais, Limousin and Allier), with 10 to 33% new oak, and concrete tanks. This measured approach preserves the terroir’s minerality and freshness while allowing gradual micro-oxygenation and gentle polishing of the tannins.

Grape variety

100% gamay.