Tasted with Alain Coudert in Fleurie, 13 February 2018.
Domaine Clos de la Roilette
Clos de la Roilette
69820 Fleurie
Tel: +33 4 74 69 84 37
www.clos-de-la-roilette.com
Alain on 2017:
“In 2017 it was the 10 July that brought the worst of the two storms – in 2017 our yields were even worse than in 2016 – 70-80% was lost. They were only small hailstones but the wind was like a tornado so it also made a lot of damage to the wood. I’m having to prune very short as it killed many branches. Provided the weather is good at the start of this year I think we will have okay growth for 2018. Found some new markets with our 2015s, so it’s hard to stop for two vintages as we have no wine. I think that 2017 will most-likely be a vintage of wines intermediate between 2016 and 2015.”
Alain on 2016:
“We lost 70% to the hail on average, though a couple of parcels lost 100% – two Fridays 4 weeks apart! I had some insurance and was allowed the purchase of a similar volume of bulk wine from neighbours. The grapes that survived were really good as the weather was perfect after the 14th July. The grapes were well matured and delivered 12.5-13.5° – though I can’t really compare the vintage to 2015, it’s very classic Beaujolais/gamay – like 2014 – and the finishes have a little more complexity and a little less alcohol-derived facets.”
The wines…
Given the viciousness of the hail on this domaine’s vines, the resulting wines are amazing. Simply a great address – even in 2016 – though there’s not much to sell!
2016 Brouilly
Normal harvest in Brouilly with nice clean grapes. The vines come from the maternal side of the family, but it’s only a small parcel, so not hailed but still not lots!
A very nice depth of earthy, mineral-inflected dark-red fruit. Lovely volume in the mouth, accented with modest tannin but really a layered depth of flavour too – fainly floral but forward and demonstratively fruity wine. More floral in the finish. Such a lot of pleasure here.
2016 Fleurie
Really a profound nose, lightly peppered – super! Much more silky – lots of labile width, the tannin slowly growing from the edges with fresh mouth-watering flavour to accompany. Less profound flavour after the Brouilly but with super width – this is delicious – and has a lovely persistence.
Parcels here in Roilette from old vines of at least 70 years old “Really the cuvée to drink a little later – but I don’t write vieilles vignes because it really doesn’t mean that much.” 90% elevage in foudres for about 8 months. The name tardive is not because they choose later harvesting. rather because these vines take longer to mature.
Also a deep, deep nose, less pepper-spice, more directed towards the fruit. The palate is the reverse of the last wine, deep complex mouth-watering flavour – for the patient – you can directly drink the last. Here is more structure but also much more complexity of flavour. Bravo but wait.
The stamp of the Marquis on this wax-topped, sommelier bottle. The same vines as tardive but matured in older barrels for 1 year before assembly into tank for 3 months. First produced in 2009.
Wide, floral, just a faint accent of oak – already well-integrated here – it’s very elegant. In the mouth there is mouth-filling volume, lots of floral complexity, oak that is just a little more visible than on the nose – almost a salt and pepper style of tannin, really a round ‘whole’ of a wine. Great!
For the pleasure a little 2015:
2015 Fleurie
Ooh that’s a deep colour. A big waft of aroma, simmering but fresh fruit, earthy mineral-laden. Silky on entry, slowly the tannin exerts some grip but it’s never grainy. There’s some saline accent to the deep, dark fruit, but despite the concentration this is lean and lithe – muscled for sure but profound and very, very tasty wine. Less open in the finish but a pretty note of flowers to remember it by. Super…