Tasted in Rivolet with Nadège & Emmanuel Fellot, 03 March 2023.
Domaine Nadège et Emmanuel Fellot
Pierre Filant
69640 Rivolet
Tel: 0+33 6 77 81 68 87
We arrive in a little oasis in the woods – here is the border of Beaujolais and Beaujolais Villages. This collection of dwellings has been in the family for nearly 200 years – there are 5 brothers including Emmanuel. The domaine has 25 hectares of vines and almost one-third of that is planted to white – they started with chardonnay at the start of 2000s. There are plenty of cows here for the pastures too – and also for the meat, of course ,- and multiple races of cows…
Emmanuel on 2021:
“It’s a complicated vintage – we had a little hail in the area here – life was a little easier in Brouilly / Côtes de Brouilly. Right now it’s easy working in the vines but we need some rain, there’s no doubt about that.”
The wines…
A fine first visit – some wines to look out for!
The cuvée names of the reds recollect the different types of birds in the forest around the domaine:
2021 Beaujolais Villages Le Pic Noir
A width of aroma – cushioned red fruit – still some high-toned, perfumed aromas – very nice. Supple, very silky, at the base a hint of tannin but no grain – that’s a really lovely wine!
Les Whites
Mainly on argilo-calcaire soils – Denicé and Rivolet – argilo-limoneux too:
That’s a nicely direct nose – chiselled and attractive. Hmm, in the mouth a melting style beautifully shaped – growing in juiciness. Some of the nicest finishing minerality I know in BJB – bravo!
2021 Beaujolais Blanc Fût de Chêne
1 year of elevage – mainly old barrels but there are a couple of new barrels per year.
This nose is fine, a little rounder from the elevage, slowly adding the more creamy accent. A fine clarity and energy, wide and modestly generous – always with a fine and mouth-watering balance – some creamy oak in the middle flavours but hardly any in the long finish – that’s a fine finish, slightly accented by the texture of the tannin.