Tasted with Olivier Giroux, 19 October 2020
Domaine du Clos des Rocs
Clos des Rocs
71000 Loché
Tel: +33 3 85 32 97 53
www.closdesrocs.fr
More reports Clos des Rocs
Olivier Giroux on 2019:
“Somes of the 2019s are now bottled. It’s a low volume vintage due to losing about 50% because of the frost. I think we have more dynamic wines in 18 versus the sunnier 19s. In terms of harvesting we had to find the ‘medium date’ – sometimes a little early sometimes a little late – but when everything is ready at the same time there’s not much more that you can do…”
All corks are tested for TCA before use. Olivier has been testing with DIAM since his 2017s but it’s too early to change.
The wines…
Although Olivier considers his wines a little ‘matte’ at the moment (see later…) they showed really well – and I found much to love. It’s interesting, though, that when you throw a 2018 into the tasting – admittedly a top cuvée – that it takes the laurels with ease!
Olivier had long fermentations in 2019 and chose to filter in this vintage, though he doesn’t normally – ‘this ‘mattes’ the wine for a few weeks‘ he says:
2019 Pouilly-Loché Les Barres
A small east-facing parcel in Les Barres. It’s Jurrasic stone with clay here, bottled at the end of August. 500 l barrels
Open, faintly and attractively complex. Mouth-filling, delicious a little richness of fruit but mouth-watering and delicious all the same. That’s deliciously finishing too!
2019 Pouilly-Loché Les Mûres
This the other side of the ‘fault’ on more limestone.
Almost suggesting a little lime on this nose. Nice volume – easy, open, layered but always mouth-watering. It needs a little more patience, but the flavours are more driving and mouth-watering in the finish – I love that citrus essence, here…
1910 vines, 0.7 ha here.
A more openly floral element to this nose. Bigger, more structured, steely even, here is power but also a delicacy of complex citrus notes. Big finishing – some stainless-steel barrels used here without sulfur until bottling. – Love that!
2019 Pouilly-Fuissé Les Pierrotes
About 75 yo vines here. Bought in 2007 and Olivier says that he’s still working hard to have the life return to the soil.
Hmm, a considered yellow, lower sulfured fruit – but this is very inviting. Lots of impact, mineral for sure, juicily mouth-watering. The structure says wait a little longer than the Chantone, but this finishes so beautifully…
3 ha monopole, an old quarry. 6-8 months in ss before bottling after barrel elevage.
Freshness, almost a suggestion of mineral reduction. Hmm – that’s so saline, mineral and energetically mouth-watering. Intense, lime fruit and other citrus finishing – bravo.