Another Duboeuf wine of its appellation that incorporates a contingent of older barriques (and which I tasted as a pre-assemblage), the 2010 Moulin-a-Vent Domaine du Moulin-a-Vent features lightly-cooked blackberry and mulberry laced with brown spices, resin and lanolin, and finishes vigorously, if with a bit of gum-numbing astringency. I would want to revisit this relatively powerful 2010 before prognosticating as to its aging potential. (Not all of the 2010 Moulin-a-Vent Carquelins – raised predominantly in barriques – had even finished malo-lactic in June, yet the portion I tasted showed worrisome signs of becoming dried out by wood.) George Duboeuf and his estate-collaborators – for further general comments on whom consult my issue 190 report – harvested from mid-September into the first week of October and pronounced themselves reasonably satisfied with the size of their crop as well as its quality. Most of the fruit came in at between 12-12.5% alcohol, with only a small share being chaptalized. And while the manner of extraction typically practiced chez Duboeuf strikes me as serving for rather uniformly deep colors, Duboeuf remarked that the 2010s colored with particular, and surprising, ease. The percentage of wines bottled at the time of my June visit was, predictably, considerably higher than had been the case for the 2009s at the same point on the calendar. Observing conventions established in the aforementioned previous report, I have made reference to aging potential only for any wines that I expect might be worth following for longer than a couple of years, and where I have identified a wine solely by appellation, it represents a so-called “Selections Georges Duboeuf” cuvee, adorned with his company’s signature flower labels. I also tasted on this occasion several late-released, wooded “prestige” bottlings – rendered in 1,000-2,500 volumes – which however were not destined to appear in U.S. markets.Importer: William Deutsch & Son Ltd., White Plains, NY; tel. (914) 251-9463

The Duboeuf 2009 Moulin-a-Vent Domaine du Moulin-a-Vent (tasted from tank) displays prominent resin, lanolin, and toasted coconut from contact with wood, behind which are high-toned notes of creme de cassis and prunelle. Rounded, soft, and decidedly sweet-ish on the palate, that sweetness is interrupted by a bit of woody astringency and drying in the finish. Drink this within the coming year. The vast and on the whole stylistically consistent range of Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais bottlings – a majority issuing from individual domaines – represents a reliable source of value, and this has seldom been more true (nor has the range – most, but not all of which, I tasted – been more vast) than from 2009, which it is clear Duboeuf considers as fine a vintage as he has witnessed – although he notes, “It was very difficult this year to choose the date of bottling,” and many wines were still in tank awaiting that decision when I tasted in April. I continue to find as a general rule that Duboeuf’s wines are best drunk within two years of bottling, so in my notes I have made reference to aging potential only for any wines that I expect might be exceptions to that rule of thumb. (Wines identified solely by their appellation are so-called “Selections Georges Duboeuf” cuvees, labeled with his company’s signature flower labels. There are Regnie and Chenas selection bottlings that I did not taste, the latter being the sole bottling of its appellation this vintage, due to the ravages of hail.)Importer: William Deutsch & Son Ltd., White Plains, NY; tel. (914) 251-9463

The 2008 Moulin-a-Vent Domaine du Moulin-a-Vent smells of nutmeg-tinged rhubarb; offers a juicy, slightly tart red fruit mid palate, and finishes with what has become this year the predictable lashings of oak planks in the finish. But I harbor more hope for this wine’s evolution after bottling than I do in the case of some of its fellow Moulin-a-Vent stable mates, as there is still a sense of refreshment in the finish. Consistent in style and amazingly low in price, the myriad Beaujolais bottlings of George Duboeuf continue to represent outstanding values in the American marketplace. In April, I tasted nearly their entire range of 2008s, with few exceptions, already bottled. The overwhelming majority of these made my cut as value recommendations, including some – from among that wide range of domaines with which Duboeuf has long-standing commercial relationships – that might not show up in the U.S. market. The so-called “Selections Georges Duboeuf” cuvees continue to bear a variation on this negociant’s signature flower labels, but to save space in our print edition, please assume that any wine not otherwise designated refers to a member of that class. In general, I have preferred DuBoeuf’s Beaujolais bottlings in their youth, with a few of the domaine crus having exhibited with bottle age a complexity concomitant with the effort to cellar them, and where not otherwise noted, my recommendation is to enjoy the following wines over the next couple of years. The Duboeuf 2008 Beaujolais-Villages – at 30,000 cases, representing their largest single lot of wine, and twice the volume of their appellation Beaujolais – was a bit green and rustic by comparison, and multiple bottles of a Chateau des Vierres bottling were oddly inexpressive and drying on the occasion of my visit. Duboeuf’s flower label 2008 Fleurie is another of their wines of this vintage that is atypically austere, and in this instance a bit much so, and their 2008 Fleurie Domaine des Quatre Vents and Fleurie Chateau des Bachelards were a bit drying and rough under the influence both of its barrel component and its very recent bottling when I tasted it.Importer: William Deutsch & Son Ltd., White Plains, NY; tel. (914) 251-9463

The 2002 Moulin-a-Vent Domaine Clos du Moulin offers boisterous aromas reminiscent of stones, blackberries, and spices. A classy, seamless, medium to full-bodied wine, it has superb depth of fruit and a silky texture. Espresso bean-laced black cherries can be discerned in its complex, edge-free, and exceptionally long character. Projected maturity: now-2009. Importer: William Deutsch and Sons, White Plains, NY; tel. (914) 251-9463; and Winesellers, Ltd., Skokie, IL; tel. (847) 679-0121

I rated the 1991 Moulin a Vent-Domaine Moulin a Vent more highly today than I did last June when I said it needed "another 6-12 months to strut its stuff." The wine is now explosive, with super rich, deep fruit, a great nose of cassis, vanillin, and spices, and a deep, unctuous, full-bodied, velvety-textured palate. Drink it over the next 4-5 years.Duboeuf made three sensational 1991 Moulin a Vents, which I would love to see in a tasting against some high class 1990 Cote d'Or premiers crus or grand crus. Believe me, they are that good! Moreover, they are drinking even better than they were a year ago as some of their tannins have melted way. The 1991 Moulin a Vents have at least 3-5 more years of longevity. Duboeuf's 1991s, from one of the finest Beaujolais vintages in the last twenty years, are still in the pipeline. The richer wines will last for another several years -uncommonly long for Beaujolais. As I indicated above, the marketplace for Beaujolais tends to jump into the new vintage, forgetting older vintages. In most cases this makes good sense, as most Beaujolais should be consumed within 2 years of the vintage. However, 1991 was a stunning Beaujolais vintage. Duboeuf considers it one of the finest in decades. Because stocks of some of the biggest and richest 1991s remain available at the wholesale and retail levels, I thought updated tasting notes (March, 1993) might provide another incentive for readers to latch onto a few dazzling examples of 1991 Beaujolais.Importers: William Deutsch and Sons, Chappaqua, NY and Wine Sellers, Skokie, IL.