Tasted in Romanèche-Thorins with Richard Rottiers, 15 March 2022.

Domaine Richard Rottiers
La Sambinerie
71570 Romanèche-Thorins
Tel: +33 6 63 38 16 35
www.domainerichardrottiers.com
More reports with Domaine Richard Rottiers

In Thorins they have replanted a part of the very old vines but Richard still loves this place. He’s replacing 0.5 hectare of vines per year. Whilst most are old it’s not just that they produce little – it’s because there are vines missing too. He will leave the soil for 3 years before re-planting. He explains that much of his land is rented so it’s always a negotiation with the owner – of course, they would prefer to replant directly. “Ideally you should wait 7 years to minimize the amount of viruses – many transmitted by the worms.”

Richard on 2021:
“Here was 12 hl/ha on average. It was really a strong frost – I think more than in 2019 or even in 2012 – then mildew took advantage of the weakened vines. So the whole season was a bit of a battle – some weeks we couldn’t go in the vines as the rain was so heavy. That said, the wines have great phenolic maturity but are only modestly concentrated but they are fresh too. It reminds me of the years of the 1980s… Not all the cuvées could be made and a small first bottling is iminent.”

Richard on 2020:
“We have some wine, still. Not a bewildering volume due to the dryness but fortunately there was 10mm of rain about a week before the harvest which refreshed the grapes and brought a lovely balance – not the roasting of the grapes like we saw in 2018 for instance. 45 hl/ha – I’m organic so I’m still very happy with that. Quite high degrees- 14-14.5° – but you don’t note the heat – the wines are fresh.”

The wines…

Not powerful wines but definitely lovely wines. The 2019 Thorins, was so good last year that I had to buy some 2020 this year!

2020 Beaujolais Villages La Sambinerie
Elevage part barrel, part tank. Vines behind the house – here there’s more clay in the soil.
A freshness of red fruit – that’s a fine invitation. Impact – nicely structured, quite mineral too. Structural finishing – keep this a while but it finishes lovely clean and wide.

2020 Moulin à Vent
The ‘assembly’ cuvée – all the vines of Richard that are organic.’
A broader and deeper nose – a little extra vibration of energy here. More intensity and extra silk to the texture – slowly turning to velour as the tannin becomes more visible. Intense, bitters, licorice in the finish. Keep this a little while…

2020 Moulin à Vent Mortperay
The newish cuvée here – had 3 years, a purchase that was shared with François Parent. Lots of clay here, had since 2016 and now organic certified. These are older vines – about 65-years-old – ‘they have more core’ says Richard.
Finer and wider freshness. Mouth-filling, vibrant, finer tannin – but not less tannin. Plenty of energy, almost a little spice, floral notes adding to this complexity – this is very good!

2020 Moulin à Vent Dernier Souffle
A more top to bottom wine of freshness and a fine purity of aroma. Another small increase in the energy – dark fruit with a little extra sucrosity too. Really mouth-watering – that’s a super wine!

2020 Moulin à Vent Champ de Cour
Young vines here.
The nose is more timid – it’s pretty and a little more red-fruited – but less forward. Wide, mouth-watering flavours that mix red fruit and a cascade of mouth-watering minerality. A wine of precision more than concentration but delicious!