Profile: Gilles Copéret

7.7.2019billn

Tasted with Gilles Copéret in Régnié, 08 May 2019.

Domaine Gilles Coperet
69430 Régnié-Durette
Tel: +33 4 74 04 38 08
www.domainegillescoperet.fr

It was Gilles who created this domaine, though his grandfather also had 2 hectares of vines in Les Chastys – he describes his parents as artisans.

1986 was the start of the domaine which now covers 7 hectares of vines, principally in Fleurie – he has 4.5 hectares here. Because of the hail in recent vintages, Gilles took on a négoce licence and started to buy a little Brouilly to make up the shortfall from Fleurie – “But also to make some nice new wines too – I do like them,” he says.

The domaine has a new Fleurie cuvée – La Madone. Gilles had exploited the vines for many years but the owner retired and Gilles had the chance to buy – 2.5 hectares worth! “I had a super first vintage in 2018 – without the hail – it’s almost 50% of the last 30 years that there’s been some hail here, but not in 2018!

Rounding off the domaine’s holdings is 2 hectares of Régnié and half a hectare of Morgon – plus a few purchases. “We are reputed for making wines to keep,” says Gilles, “A little structured. I’m quite traditional for the reds; semi-carbonic fermentation – the length of maceration depends on the terroir. Our Fleurie Sur Roche is on clay/sand so needs more time – it’s also a wine, for instance, to keep longer. All the elevage – apart from one wine is in cement.

Gilles work in the vines has Terravitis certification since the 2018 vintage.

The wines…

I like Gilles and like his wines – punchy, concentrated but with plenty of fruity energy to match the structure. Very good wines.

2018 Rosé Bouquet d’en Vie
A rose of the press, harvested by machine, pressed directly and fermented at 15°C – made from vines in Regnie – a parcel that a little too productive for the red. This wine is sold as VdF, ‘It’s not a question of rendement – it’s just that I can do what I want!’
A pretty, wide, pink nose with a suggestion of minerality. Nice shape and volume in the mouth with plenty of minerality, almost a rigour. Wait until the high summer for this but it’s super – and I like very much the fresh finishing complexity – yum – persistent too!

2018 Brouilly Saburin
14 days of maceration here – ‘Maybe a little more in 2019 as it’s so supple.’
Deep, complex, slightly spiced with almost graphite depth of aroma. Round, concentrated – there’s depth to this texture. Supple, silky, sweet and dark-red fruited. Ooh far too easy to drink – a VD – Vin Dangereuse!

2018 Fleurie La Madone
The first vintage at the domaine, and certified Terrvitis.
Less colour than the Brouilly. Fresher, red fruit and herbs on the nose – slowly growing more perfumed. Ooh – vibrant – more structured but open and moble-flavoured – energetic. With lots of depth to the complex flavour – wait 6-18 months for this to settle – but no facile Fleurie here.

2017 Regnié Le Chastys
Lots of colour – ‘all granitic soil here.’ An intense almost a little too high-toned nose. Ooh, that’s great in the mouth though, texturally. The flavour is deep, complex and layered. Long finishing, intense finishing too. Almost a dried fruit finish – lots of depth to this flavour – drink in 2-3 years.

2017 Régnié Les Côtes
Hmm – now here’s a great nose – energetic, complex – completely inviting. Ooh – that’s super – more drive – still completely mouth-filling – more structure, a lick of finishing phenolics. Mouth-watering, really excellent wine that’s long finishing – much more my style of wine than the last. Excellent wine!

2017 Morgon
Grand Cras and Charmes assembled – a mix of domaine and bought grapes.
Also a nose with a lot of high-toned fruit, more floral too – simply excellent. Round, depth of flavour, a more grained but completely ripe tannin in the texture. Wide – long, lovely shape to this wine – excellent again – really excellent wine – no great!

2016 Fleurie Les Roches
There was no 2017 due to the hail
Floral, depth of aroma that’s a little mineral and already showing a little leafy development – a beautiful nose. Mouth-filling, energetic, sweetness of fruit – fine structure, slowly melting flavour really a big weight of flavour in the finish. Impressive, excellent wine.

2017 Équation Régnié
A wide nose of sweet fruit and forward oak. Mouth-filling volume – lots of freshness, a flavour that melts over the palate, inflected with vanilla. But a fine, fleet-footed freshness all around – wait at least 5 years for the oak to fade – if you don’t want to taste it – but the combination of airiness and concentration together despite the oak elevage is an impressive thing to behold. Bravo!

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