Nicolas
Joly, Château de la Roche-aux-Moines (1962)
These
vineyard holdings are without question the most privileged within the
appellation. In Burgundian terms, it is the equivalent to owning the
monopoly on Montrachet as well as a fair tranche of Chevalier-Montrachet.
The present Château dates back to 1839 and was designed by architect
Edouard Moll (who was also responsible also for designing the Château de
la Bizolière). It is a substantial classical residence and sits on top
the southern most limit of La Roche aux Moines. The summit to the rear of
the house reveals a 300 metre alley of cypress trees which runs parallel
to the river. At the end of this lies the stone tomb of an English
soldier: a legacy of the battle fought here in 1214.
The
property was owned by successive generations of the Walsh de Serrant
family during the late 18th and early 19th century.
In 1830 the ownership passed through marriage to the Duc de la Trémoïlle
where it remained until 1894, when, threatened with the cost of having to
replant the whole vineyard after phylloxera, the Trémoïlles decided to
sell up.
During
the first half of the 20th century Le Château de la Roche aux
Moines experienced several owners. Immediately after the scourge of
phylloxera epidemic it belonged to a M. Colin of Angers
and his relative, M. Rousseau-Colin of Saint Florent le Veil, who appeared
to have done little with the land. It was left to Laurent Bougère, who
bought the property in 1905 for a derisory 50,000 French Francs, and set
about re-establishing the vineyards during the 1920s. The property in turn
passed to Colonel Cothereau, a relative of Bougère. It was upon
Cothereau’s death in 1960 that his widow sold to M. De Craecker, a
retired Belgian ship captain, who bought the property not so much for the
vineyards, but for the view. In 1958, De Craecker had already acquired a
significant portion of land in La Roche aux Moines, although he appears to
have had little or no interest in realising its viticultural potential.
The
Jolys were to follow, having bought the property in 1962. André Joly was
originally from Le Lude and practiced as a surgeon in Angers. He and his wife, Denise, were looking for a property to retire to, and
according to Nicolas Joly himself, there is a photograph of his parents
taken in front of the house well before it was purchased. André had
approached De Craecker to see if he was interested in selling. He was not,
although a little while later after a family feud, he contacted Dr Joly
and asked him to make him an offer, which he accepted. At the time of
purchase, the Jolys had no idea they had just acquired one of the most
renowned vineyards in France, so it was by chance that Denise Joly became a vigneron.
Fortunately, one of her close friends was Mme Fournier, owner of Château
Canon, in Saint-Emilion, so advice on all things viticultural was readily
available. Now in her early 90s, the once formidable Madame Joly still
lives in the house she fell in love with almost fifty years ago.
The
Jolys had two sons: the elder, Eric, is a published author and journalist
specialising in all things hunting, shooting and fishing, whilst his
younger brother, Nicolas has an MBA diploma from Columbia
University. He spent two years working for bankers JP Morgan Guaranty in Canada
and then
New York, as an analyst to the chemical industry, followed by a further year in
London. Disillusioned with banking, the then 32 year old Nicolas, returned to
the family domaine in 1977 to take over from his mother, who by now had
been widowed. For two years, Nicolas followed an oenological course at
Bordeaux University, but it was his discovery of a work by Austrian
philosopher, Rudolf Steiner in a bookstore in 1981 and the domaine's
subsequent conversion to biodynamic farming that has become a story well
told (mostly by Joly himself). Today, he spends much of his time
travelling the world, often with his wife, Corale, the daughter of a
German diplomat, and their daughter, Virginie, preaching the biodynamic
gospel.
Wine
Overview:
The
vineyards here have been fully certified biodynamic since 1985. As it
stands, there are now three different wines produced here; a generic
Savennières which currently goes under the name of ‘Les Vieux Clos’
(it was previously called ‘Bécherelle’ after a steep slope planted in
1985). This is from four parcels owned by the Jolys along with a component
of vines rented from Rochepin. Two of these parcels sit on top of the
plateau of Epiré, directly behind the wall of the Le Clos de la Coulée
de Serrant, whilst the largest parcel is situated on the far side of the
main Savennières to Epiré road. The average vine age here is between 20
and 25 years old and yield between 30-33 hl/ha, producing around 13,000
bottles a year. The Roche aux Moines cuvée is sold under the ‘Clos de
la Bergerie’ label and accounts for 3.5 hectares planted over three
different parcels. The vines are a little older on average, at around
25-30 years old, with a yield of between 25-28 hl/ha, producing around
7,000 bottles a year. The seven hectare Le Clos de la Coulee de Serrant is
split between three parcels, with the oldest vines having been planted by
Laurent Bougère in the 1920s. The production is around 18,000 bottles a
year. Previously, there was an Anjou Rouge, sold under the label of ‘Château
de la Roche’, produced solely from Cabernet Franc vines planted in La
Roche aux Moines. This was last commercialised in 1990.
The
cellar is situated below the Château itself. All the wines are fermented
and raised in barrels which range in size from 400 to 600 litres, and age
between 8 and 15 years old – there have been no new barrels purchased
for the last seven vintages. Until the mid 1980s, the wines were raised
primarily in chestnut casks, but more recently second hand barriques have
come from reliable sources in
Bordeaux
. The option to switch the wine into stainless steel does exist should
fermentation prove protracted; otherwise these tanks are used solely for
blending. Fermentation temperatures are not controlled and can be much
higher than that which would be considered conventional for white wines,
at between 25 and 30 degrees centigrade, and one questions how much this
factor affects the overall style and quality. The wines are generally
racked three times before being committed to bottle in the May following
the vintage. Needless to say, only indigenous yeasts are employed, and as
much as Nicolas Joly doesn’t like it, some barrels may go through
malolactic fermentation. The wines are neither fined nor cold stabilised,
something Joly refers to as the ‘force of death’, and receive only a
light filtration prior to bottling. Levels of free sulphur are also
minimal at less that 10mg/l.
With
every case comes with a leaflet issuing a set of ‘instructions’ for
drinking the wine and includes a passage on how to ‘avoid confusing
oxidation with maturity’. The leaflet states: ‘Chenin
gets its complexity only when it is fully ripe – deep yellow. And only
healthy, sustainable farming can guarantee this without rot. For this
reason, all our grapes are picked in four or five passes as each parcel
begins to raisin and form botrytis – thereby allowing the mineral
flavours of Chenin to achieve their fullest intensity. Once opened, wines
made this way continue to improve – and are in no way oxidized. Open a
few hours in advance or carafe the wine. Serve at 14C / 57F’.
The
Wines
Nicolas
Joly’s personal mantra states ‘I don’t only want a good wine but
also a true wine’, and there can be no doubting that he is a passionate,
confident and persuasive speaker. An ‘audience’ with him is an
uplifting experience, although at times he appears to speak in riddles,
and getting a straight answer to even the most basic question can be
something of a challenge. However questions continue to be posed as to
whether Nicolas Joly has completely lost sight of what it is to be a vigneron,
only to become infatuated by the wider principles of biodynamics. Does he
actually drink wine, or perhaps more importantly, does he enjoy it?
Since
the early 1990s there have been justifiable concerns about the oxidative,
or (depending on one’s own views) oxidised character found in the wines
from the domaine, something that Joly strongly refutes. However, given the
position of influence he holds, not just within the appellation, but
internationally, clearly there are some serious issues here that need to
be addressed.
Any
wine lover who has ever had the privilege to taste through a flight of
thirty or forty year old wines from Le Clos de la Coulée de Serrant can
testify to the wines’ greatness, its ability to age and to display all
the characteristics that this distinguished site has to offer. What is
depressing is that in no way do the wines produced here over the past
fifteen years resemble the great vintages that date from the early 1960s
through to the late 1980s; never are they likely to age and evolve into
the ethereal examples of their predecessors. For Nicolas Joly these wines
might be ‘true’, but sadly neither are they good or capable of
demonstrating a real sense of place or the specific characteristics of a
specific vintage.
Walking
through the vines within Le Clos de la Coulée de Serrant, one can quickly
dismiss the notion that any problems that may exist in the wines originate
here; the vineyards are as immaculate as one would expect, a proper
testament to biodynamic farming. This is not to bring into question the
condition and ripeness of the grapes at harvest, however, all clues to
what may be going wrong here lead ultimately to the cellar. What Nicolas
Joly needs is a winemaker; ideally he needs to employ the services of a Noël
Pinguet or a Gérard Gauby, both followers of biodynamic principles, if
only for a season, just so this magnificent site can once more be allowed
to truly express itself.
Regardless
of all the criticism, Joly’s wines appear to sell out with each vintage,
and at prices that are consistent with those of Grand Cru Burgundy, the current release being the 2006 and selling for €48.00 a bottle at
the domaine. Yet all three cuvées produced here this year exhibit the
same particular character; certainly none of these wines is remotely
similar to any other vintage produced in the past, and this observation
should not imply that what one is detecting is a sense of vintage
variation. It’s not.
This
leaves us with the question as to who is buying these wines, and do they
genuinely believe that they are ‘true wines’ or ‘good wines’, or
are they simply good because Nicolas Joly is persuasive and clever enough
to convince us that they are? Is there an element of the Emperor’s New
Clothes syndrome here? Is it all just mirrors and smoke?
However,
it is this final question that is perhaps universally the most disturbing:
as biodynamic viticulture’s most vocal proselytizer, does Joly not run
the risk of consumers rejecting, along with his own wines, those of every
other grower who practices biodynamic farming on the basis that this
organic extreme is nothing more than a mythical excuse for producing
faulty, or at the very least, mediocre wines? For any wine lover who
believes in the sustainability of winegrowing for generations to come,
this has to be the single biggest concern.
2006
Clos de la Coulée de Serrant
Cloudy.
Mid-depth yellow/orange. High toned, volatile nose compounded by some
notes of oxidation. It is distinctly malic to the point of being
reminiscent of cider. The palate is not dissimilar, and although it has
the hallmarks of Chenin; apples and pears, it is both aggressive and
volatile. There is an edge of minerality, but the wine is simply carried
by its acidity. There is also a prickle of CO² to the palate. This is
barely vinous.
NOTE:
I have now tasted this wine three times between February and April 2008
and I cannot accept it is anything other than faulty as each of the three
bottles has shown the same characteristics. I have also taken Joly’s own
advice and retasted the third bottle over a period of five days and again
after three weeks. My follow up notes are: (Day 5) The colour has deepened
considerably since first opening, moving to an orange/bronze appearance.
There are distinct signs of oxidation now on the nose, whilst retaining a
malic and volatile edge. Dry and austere on entry with a greater sense of
minerality, but is also hot and burns on the finish with the same high
toned, volatile profile. After three weeks, what was initially the nose of
cider or cider apples smells now more like cider vinegar. (04/08)
2006
Savennières – Roche aux Moines ‘Clos de la Bergerie’
This
carries the same high toned nose and palate as the Clos de la Coulée de
Serrant, confirming that the character of the wines this vintage is not
exclusive to the above. This wine was tasted on two separate occasions and
from different bottles. There is a strong malic character, like baked
apples and calvados with a chalky texture to the palate. It is difficult
to get behind the impression of volatility though. (02/08)
2006
‘Les Vieux Clos’
Ripe,
smoky and baked apple flavour to both the nose and palate. There is a
sensation of ‘dry’ botrytis too. This is well textured and shows some
authentic Chenin characters, but again appears high toned with volatile
elements. It also appears sweeter than the analysis (1.7g/l residual
sugar) suggest. This also carries the same flavour profile as the two
other wines above. (02/08)
2005
Clos de la Coulée de Serrant
Bright.
Pale yellow/straw with some green hints. Closed on the nose but shows some
ripe, broad and oxidative notes. It opens up to show some baked apple
aromas. On the palate, there is a good degree of complexity; apples and
pears with a sense of minerality. Dry on entry, rich and well textured.
Powerful, but the alcohol (15%) starts to show through. This is big and
concentrated, but also hot and clumsy with the alcohol dominating. There
is an authentic phenolic, bitter Chenin twist to the finish. This is
unquestionably oxidative rather than oxidised, but lacks both balance and
finesse. (04/08)
2004
‘Les Vieux Clos’
Very
deep orange/bronze. From appearance alone one would dismiss it as
completely oxidised. The nose is not unlike an unfortified white Port;
deeply oxidative with some orange peel like aromas. Otherwise, the nose is
just dull and blunt. On the palate there is a firm acidity and shows some
oxidative characters of the rancio wines of the
Midi. Pithy and bitter with the flavour of rotten apples. The alcohol shows on
the finish. (04/08)
2004
Clos de la Coulée de Serrant
Bright.
Very deep bronze/orange appearance. This looks
oxidised and is very similar in appearance and profile to ‘Les Vieux
Clos’ of the same vintage, suggesting it’s a characteristic within the
cellar rather than this specific bottle. The nose is broad and oxidative,
bordering on oxidised, with aromas of toffee, caramel and orange skin. The
palate is powerful and concentrated with more oxidative, caramel and
toffee flavours. The (15%) alcohol shows, but the structure of the wine is
dominated by a dry, schist-derived pithy-bitterness to the finish. Not
dissimilar to the character of the 2001 vintage. Even if you accept that
this wine is not oxidised and therefore not faulty, it is in no way
enjoyable, or representative of a Savennières from any other grower.
(04/08)
2003
Clos de la Coulée de Serrant
Bright
but bitty. Deep yellow/gold/bronze. Broad nose with distinct oxidative
notes. Smokey, but otherwise closed and ungiving. Powerful, broad and
intense on entry, almost with a sense of oak. Again, the alcohol shows
through (14.5%) making it appear clumsy and heavy-handed. The finish is
dominated by a phenolic and bitter edge. Very concentrated and lacks any
sense of balance. This is at least vinous and acceptable in the fact it
does taste like wine. (04/08)
2002
Clos de la Coulée de Serrant
Mid-full
orange/bronze. Very oxidative nose; right on the
edge of acceptability of most tasters. Behind, there are some signs of how
the wine should be, with aromas of cloves, quince and baked or bruised
apples and faint toffee apple and tarte tatin. This at least does smell
authentic and reminiscent of some older vintages of this wine. From
initially showing as heavily oxidative on the palate, the wine (after five
days) did appear to redeem itself: Dry on entry with a sense of minerality.
Taut and austere but with some flesh and texture. Powerful, with very firm
acidity. It builds well, but is again beset with a hot and alcoholic
finish (14%). (04/08)
2001
Clos de la Coulée de Serrant
Bright.
Deep, orange/brown. This really does appear
oxidised, however, this deep advanced appearance is a characteristic of
the wines throughout Savennières from this vintage. The nose is both
intense and exaggerated with aromas of clove combined with dried smoked
fish and mouldy orange skin. On the palate, it is bone dry, austere,
aggressive with unknit acidity and pronounced oxidised characters. This
smells and tastes bizarre, but does echo, if exaggerate, the flavour
profile of other growers wines in this vintage. It is both phenolic and
bitter on the finish with some savoury, saline, cheesy flavours. Vin Santo
comes to mind. Whether you can accept this wine is not faulty, it is
certainly not an enjoyable experience. (04/08)
2001
Savennières
Bright.
Mid depth orange/gold. This is much paler than the Clos de la Coulée de
Serrant, but still relatively deep for a wine of this age. Rich, intense
and faintly saline and cheesy. Distinctly savoury and oxidative. Smokey,
with the impression of orange peel. Authentic, bone dry and austere, with
good concentration and richness. Well textured with a good thread of
minerality running through the wine. More flavours of orange peel combined
with licorish. It does show some evidence of oxidative handling, but this
tastes like it should and shows specific vintage characteristics. This is
drinking now, but, if you like the style, this could be expected to age
further. It bears no relation to its big sister, above. (08/08)
1999
'Clos Sacré - Le Vieux Clos' Savennières
Polished. Mid-pale yellow-gold. Old fashioned nose that is not unlike the
2001 in character. Faintly savoury and fishy. Dry, austere and mineral on
the palate. Lean and lacking flesh with a chalky, schist-like minerality
to the finish. This is going nowhere. (04/09)
1999
Clos de la Coulée de Serrant
Polished.
Deep yellow/orange/bronze. Mature, burnt sugar and caramel nose. Aromas
include smoke, orange peel, cloves and barley sugar. It’s like a
miniature version of the 2001 vintage. The palate is high toned and shows
some evidence of volatility. Broad, burnt flavours with a phenolic, bitter
edge. Bare bones; it lacks any sense of flesh. (04/08)
1998
Clos de la Coulée de Serrant
Mid-full
yellow-orange. Dull nose; broad and clumsy.
Solid, powerful and concentrated on the palate, but lacks flesh. Sound,
stony, mineral profile on the palate but is very simple and displays some
raised acidity. The acid carries the wine. Phenolic and clumsy to the
finish. After five days it appeared to be better balanced and had fattened
out, but remains pithy on the finish. There is less evidence of oxidative
characters in this vintage. Drinking now, but could hold further. This is
less controversial but a question mark still remains over its true quality
and authenticity. (04/08)
1997
Clos de la Coulée de Serrant
Mid-depth
yellow/gold. Broad and creamy developing a
nutty, autolytic nose with time. Faintly smoky and savoury. Attractive.
Big and broad on entry and shows itself as hot and alcoholic (I question
the 14% alcohol displayed on the label). Powerful, but heavy-handed and
clumsy with a bitter, phenolic edge to the finish. Fino sherry-like
flavours with a saline edge. Again, this is more oxidative than oxidised
but remains unbalanced, hot and clumsy. (04/08)
1996
Clos de la Coulée de Serrant
Mid-depth.
Yellow/orange. Dull nose displaying acacia and
white flowers. This is not really oxidised or oxidative, but just appears
to be an authentic but quickly tiring old Chenin. The palate shows a
simple flavour profile with some oxidation. It builds well, but becomes
hot and clumsy to the finish. Some barley sugar. Very high acidity to
finish with not enough flesh to support it. Drying out. Needs drinking.
(04/08)
1995
Clos de la Coulée de Serrant
Bright.
Mid-depth orange/bronze. Dull and flat on the nose and lacks any real
interest. Some barley sugar aromas. Broad but flat on entry with some
flavours of quince and bruised apples. There is proper acidity here, but
still a bit raised and unknit. Heavy and phenolic on the finish. Ends
short with a saline, salty, Palo Cortado like tang. (04/08)
1995
Clos de la Coulée de Serrant Moëlleux
Bright.
Mid-full yellow/gold. Ripe but clean nose showing some of the white
flowers and acacia of a mature Chenin, but is by no means tired. Obvious
sweetness (28g/l) on entry. Ripe, rich and well focused. Good balance and
a proper wine. Quite high toned with a crunchy acidity. It just shows a
little hot. Very good length. This is drinking well now and should at
least hold if not improve. (04/08)
1994
Clos de la Coulée de Serrant
Dull.
Mid-depth orange. Very powerful ‘dry’
botrytis character to the nose. Very clean but mean mineral palate with
decent focus, but lacking some flesh and charm. Some juicy acidity helps
to carry the finish. Drinking now as unlikely to improve. (06/04)
1992
Clos de la Coulée de Serrant
Bright.
Mid-pale yellow/gold. Attractive nose with a hint of gun smoke and flint
indicating some reduction. Mature, with some marzipan behind. Well
textured yet delicate on entry but with very firm acidity. Hollow on the
mid palate and falls short to the finish. Mature flavour profile with more
white flowers and develops a peaty, smoky, salty edge with time. This is
still sound and should hold, but is unlikely to improve. (04/08)
1991
Clos de la Coulée de Serrant
Bright. Mid-full appearance. Yellow/gold. Clean, rich and open on the
nose. Fairly creamy with coffee and caramel. Mid-full on entry with
density, texture and good richness. There is a thread of minerality
running through the wine. Rich to the finish with quite low acidity and
more flavours of caramel and coffee. Broad on the finish and slightly
pithy. Drinking well now, but will hold, if not age further. (01/09)
1990
Savennières-Roche-aux-Moines 'Clos de la Bergerie'
Polished,
luminous appearance. Mid depth with green tinges. The nose is distinctly
'organic' and a little high toned. It is, however, attractive with some
proper minerailty and sense of place. The palate is delicate and refined
on entry. Excellent structure and poise. Taut to the finish. There is
absolutely no rush to drink. (04/10)
1990
Clos de la Coulée de Serrant
Polished.
Mid depth, staw-yellow-gold. Tight, mineral and very reserved on the nose.
It appears backward and unevolved. The palate is still very youthful and
still very fresh, displaying a great stony minerality. The wine is poised
and focused with a very persistent and juicy acidity to the finish. This
demonstrates the quality of its provenance. Still immature, this wine has
a very long life ahead of it. (04/10)
1988
Clos de la Coulée de Serrant
Polished. Mid-depth. Luminous yellow-green. Impressive appearance. The
nose is clean, but with a hint of terpine. Very delicate and gentle.
Restrained, with hints of white truffle that just opens up in the glass.
Lovely texture on entry. Builds well with great focus and balance.
Mineral, persistent and a tartaric edge to the acidity. Very clean and
pure. Slightly more texture than the 1986 with greater power and
concentration, but in a very similar style and state of evolution.
Restrained, pithy and chalky finish. No rush to drink. Excellent. (04/09)
1986
Clos de la Coulée de Serrant
Bright.
Mid-depth straw/yellow. Attractive dry and tightly mineral nose with hints
of apple and quince and developing lime and marmalade notes with time.
Coconut and gorse with a savoury character developing. Deeply complex.
Stony with a hint of reduction. Refined and delicate on entry. Taut but
juicy acidity. Powerful with a strong mineral expression. Grapefruit
flavours with a pithy finish. Profound and persistent. Tasted over a five
day period, this just improved over time. This is drinking well now, but
will continue to hold for many more years. A great wine. (04/08)
1984
Clos de la Coulée de Serrant
Mid-full
yellow/gold. Broad and floral with white flowers to the nose. This is
showing its age, but is not yet completely tired. Well textured palate
with some grip. Hint of spice. Builds well to a powerful finish. Very good
concentration. Some terpine flavours and a pithy austere finish. It just
falls a little short and starting to dry out. Should hold a couple more
years but will not improve. Drink up. (04/08)
1983
Clos de la Coulée de Serrant
Bright.
Yellow/green. Some reduction on the nose. Smokey and tight and not very
giving. Terpine aromas. Very lean and austere with good intensity to the
finish. The reduction has helped to preserve this, so still relatively
youthful and should age further. (06/04)
1982
Savennières – Roche aux Moines ‘Clos de la Bergerie’
Polished. Deep orange, but retains some green hints. Mature appearance.
The nose shows distinct age, but it is still pretty behind. Earthy with
some white mushroom and a faint terpine character. Concentrated palate and
just on the edge of the plateau of maturity, displaying a little oxidation
on the finish. Oranges and tangerine flavour profile. Oxidative, but opens
up well in the glass. Very good focus and length, with a dry, mineral and
earthy finish. Authentic. Just beginning to tire and dry out. (04/09)
1982
Clos de la Coulée de Serrant
Polished.
Mid-full yellow/gold. Rich, ripe and complex on the nose. A hint of honey
and a faint impression of some reduction; there is a hint of gun smoke
here. This is lovely and a great example of Chenin. Beautifully structured
with great length. Flavours of apple and quince. Multi-layered. Still very
youthful, this shows some ripeness. Powerful and very long. This proves
what the wine really can be. Very
fine. (04/08)
1981
Clos de la Coulée de Serrant
Mid-pale.
Yellow with distinct green hints. Some richness
on the nose. Open and attractive. A hint of gunflint and reduction.
Smokey, but lacks the definition of the 1982. Leaner profile. Greengage
and star fruit flavours. Austere to the finish with some pithiness
showing. Still powerful but at its peak now. This will hold but not
improve. (04/08)
1980
Clos de la Coulée de Serrant
Mid
depth yellow/gold. Tired nose. Beginning to show
its age with aromas of white flowers and marzipan. Dry, mid weight entry
with the palate in better shape than the nose suggests. Quite lean and
austere. Lacks flesh with very firm acidity to the finish. Just starting
to dry out. Needs drinking as this won’t improve. (04/08)
1979
Clos de la Coulée de Serrant
Bright
but bitty. Mid-depth yellow/gold. Very delicate and smoky. Bone dry
palate; very lean and mineral. Typical. Intense and persistent finish, the
acidity carries the wine. This is drinking now and unlikely to improve,
but should also hold now in bottle for a few more years. (06/04)
1978
Clos de la Coulée de Serrant
Polished.
Mid-full yellow/gold. Broad nose with some asparagus notes. Flinty. Creamy
and complex. Quite ripe but very delicate on entry. Raised acidity, but
retains some flesh. A leaner profile but with very good balance. Well
focused. Some evidence of residual sugar. This won’t improve further,
but neither needs drinking up immediately. (04/08)
1969
Clos de la Coulée de Serrant
Bright.
Mid-depth appearance. Mid full with a savoury,
cheesy nose. Bright, fresh acidity to the palate with very good focus. A
touch savoury. Coconut flavours on the finish. Some persistence. Could
evolve further. (06/04)
1966
Clos de la Coulée de Serrant
Luminous.
Deep yellow/gold. Lovely rounded focused nose.
White flowers, acacia and marzipan with a faint minerality behind.
Delicate and still very fresh. Excellent balance and develops a second
layer on the palate. Rich, but with crisp acidity behind. Lovely texture.
Persistent. Retains an authentic pithy edge to the finish. A complete wine
and perfect in the context of Savennières. Mature now, but shows no signs
of tiring. This will keep for many more years. (04/08)
1961
Clos de la Coulée de Serrant
Polished. Orange
with some green hints. Great graduation to the rim. Delicate but mature
nose. Complex, nutty, and herbal; even toast. Concentrated on entry with a
flavour profile reminiscent of white Rioja. Very fine and persistent
acidity. Complex. No rush to drink up. (09/02)
1957
Clos de la Coulée de Serrant
Bright.
Orange/bronze. Complex nose of oranges and quince, but also coffee and
chocolate, moving through to a more savoury spectrum of aromas. Toffee
apple and candy-floss too. The palate is very clean and crisp with
cinnamon rice pudding and crème brulée to the finish. Lovely
balance and acidity. A complete wine. (06/04)
1990
Anjou Rouge
The last year that red wine was produced in the Joly
cellar. Opaque. Dull red showing some evolution to the rim. The nose is
delicate, light and earthy or even grubby. This is still distinctly
Cabernet Franc, even if the fruit has faded. Light on entry with good red
fruit flavours on the mid palate. The tannins, however, remain brutal.
This was over extracted and will never soften. It will keep but not
improve. (04/10)
Nicolas
Joly
Chateau
de la Roche aux Moines
T:
+33 2 41 72 28 20
F:
+33 2 41 72 28 68
Coulee-de-serrant@wanadoo.fr
www.coulee-de-serrant.com
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