Tasted in Romanèche-Thorins with Richard Rottiers, 04 February 2020.
Domaine Richard Rottiers
La Sambinerie
71570 Romanèche-Thorins
Tel: +33 6 63 38 16 35
www.domainerichardrottiers.com
More reports for Domaine Richard Rottiers
Richard on 2019:
“I lost nearly 70% to the frost, as pretty much most of my vines are bottom of the hills. In the end, no more than 15 hl/ha. Fortunately, all my fermentation went without a hitch. I won’t have a long elevage, as the wines seem less powerful than their counterparts in 2018.”
Richard on 2018:
“A correct rendement, in fact a little more in Beaujolais villages – a great yield for organic viticulture – 40 hl/ha, it would have been more if it hadn’t been for the damage the vines suffered in 2017 – but that level is great for the quality. A humid spring until May but that meant that things grew very fast – including some mildew – but the heat of June stopped that. A dry summer – effectively a quite easy year. Almost too dry until a little rain 10 days before the harvest – I did a fast harvest, starting 27 August and I don’t like to harvest too late and too ripe. I’m very happy with the 18s – I had a good, fast, week of harvesting – going slower and into a second week would have been too late for me – I definitely didn’t want overmaturity – 1 week later the grapes were 14°, not the 12-13° that I harvested – maybe that’s why I had no problems with fermentations.”
The wines…
Finally, an easier year for Richard. A good range of wines too.
2018 Beaujolais Villages La Sambinerie
Elevage part barrel, part tank, part concrete.
A pretty, bright, attractive and classic Beaujolais nose. A wine with nice line of flavour, touched with salinity and a tasty length. That’s a very good start!
2018 Brouilly
Bought grapes from a friend, not yet organic but the conversion to organic is underway.
Quite a fresh and direct nose. Ooh! Thats nice and fresh, structural, not the classic fruit, fruit, fruit style of Beaujolais – there’s a bit of minerality going on here.
2018 Moulin à Vent
The ‘assembly’ cuvée
A pretty red fruit at the core of this nose – quite a narrow aromatic. Bigger and more energetic in the mouth, no richness just concentration and energy. That’s a great combination!
2018 Moulin à Vent Mortperay
The new cuvée here – had 3 years, a purchase that was shared with François Parent. Lots of clay here
A little more width of aroma. Wide, energetic, saline growing in intensity then vibrant finishing. Plenty of complexity. A wine to wait for – but one thats really super!
2018 Moulin à Vent Dernier Souffle
All granite terroir.
Hmm – here’s a good width of aroma. Rounder, lovely texture, layers of flavour. Super finishing again – a fresh wave of finishing flavour and weight – again complex and long, for keeping in the cellar a while.
2018 Moulin à Vent Champ de Coeur
All barrel, some new.
A more compact nose, round at the core. Ooh, such a wave of open, fresh flavour. A narrow but long finish. Sleek and super…