Tasted with Alain Coudert in Fleurie, 06 February 2020.
Domaine Clos de la Roilette
Clos de la Roilette
69820 Fleurie
Tel: +33 4 74 69 84 37
www.clos-de-la-roilette.com
More reports for Domaine Clos de la Roilette
Alain on 2019:
“2019 was complicated by frost – touched by about 40% – this is quite close to the bottom plots of MaV, so… The wines are a little more typical, more Beaujolais than in 2018.”
Alain on 2018:
“2018 – it was a good one – after two small vintages because of hail we finally had a good vintage – it was a nice smmer so wines of quality as well as some quantity. Of course it was a very wet start of the year – it was 15 June before the rain stopped – but it gave us a reserve of water that was needed as there were only a couple of small downpours later in the summer. A very favourable year to work in the vines, an early harvest date of 25 August for Brouilly and 29 August for Fleurie – but what’s early these days? But yes it was early, roughly a couple of weeks early versus the normal. Less excess of heat – we had 35-36°C but not closer to 40°C like we saw in 2015. Not a large yield but a correct one – approaching 50 hl/ha. There was, maybe a couple of extra days of fermentation time needed for the 18s but otherwise they were fine.”
The wines…
A great series of wines here in 2018 – I would council patience but I probably wouldn’t be able to keep my hands of the wines myself! One of the top two addresses for 2018s – here and Laurent Martray.
All the 18s have been bottled:
The vines come from the maternal side of the family, but it’s only a small parcel. ‘Harvested in August almost a week ahead of the Fleurie – it seems to have worked out well!’
Hmm -that’s lovely – dark fruit but with such an inviting overlay of floral notes – yes! Round but very silky and importantly fresh too – that’s a fine Brouilly – dark-fruited but no excess – perhaps an extra sweetness but balanced by the mineral and the acid. Top!
2018 Fleurie Cuvée Christie
Not allowed to say Christal any more! (thank-you Champagne) Mainly sold in US and Netherlands. Nomacorc for this and happy with the wines so far.
Hmm that’s a big and deeply fruited nose – dark fruit but with freshness – it’s a good invitation. Bigger in all directions, a base of modest tannin – no grain – supple and concentrated – this a wine to wait a little time for – not for any great structure – more to wait for it to unwind a little. Much more floral finishing, that’s got a super finish on it! Easily excellent.
The ‘Classic’cuvée
Here is some depth of colour. More high-toned, more floral than pyrazine though there’s a suggestion of the latter. Wow – that’s great in the mouth, freshness a supple, modestly structural shape, long slow waves of finishing flavour – that’s a great finish too!
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.
Lots of colour again. The faintest touch of pyrazine gives way to a roundness of fruit and faint flowers. Extra depth, layers of completely delicious flavour, edged by a faint grain of tannin. Wide, mouth-filling and delicious. That’s a great finish again – extra-long, slowly mouth-watering. Another great Fleurie…
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. Bottled about 6 weeks.
Such a vibrant nose despite the depth of dark fruit. Yes – that’s a wine of beautiful structure and extra dimension of flavour again – it’s a great series of wines here in 2018 – this for the patient, there’s plenty of tannin in the second-half of the wine. But a great Griffe.
And for the pleasure a little:
What a nose – there’s such a level of complexity here, of flowers of tobacco – already bravo! Mouth-filling, the tannin a little more to the fore, but this still fills the mouth – more open and more mineral in style vs the 18s. Great again.
Not the biggest nose but there’s a fine floral perfume here – really a perfume. More impact, more concentrated than the 17 Tardive – a little more structural, still some oak showing on this that I didn’t see on any of the previous wines. Very long – still plenty of patience – wait another 3 years to start I think – still great Fleurie!