Clos de la Roilette Fleurie Tradition

“Alain Coudert’s Clos de la Roilette is a longtime favorite Fleurie producer whose wines should not be overshadowed by newer, more faddish names.” 

-Eric Asimov, The New York Times, April 2016

If you're confused by what "Cru" Beaujolais means or think that "isn't Beaujolais that colorful bottle that comes out in the holiday season?" Please stop reading now. This offer just isn't for you. Don't get upset and sue me for wine discrimination. We can still co-exist in some other way. But, this offer is for those who truly know and appreciate higher level Beaujolais. Beaujolais that sings, stings; dances and prances. Beaujolais with a time and place that knows where it comes from and where it's going.  The Howard Roark of Cru Beaujolais.

Clos de la Roilette is one of 5 Beaujolais that can truly age like a fine Burgundy; shedding the baby fat and becoming a golden, silky queen of a wine. A deep ruby colour with a hint of purple, thanks to the use of the traditional semi-carbonic maceration method of winemaking. A restrained nose of plums, mulberries and dark cherry fruit, with meaty elements, smoke, olives, pepper, liquorice in the mix. There’s a fascinating salty, nutty/savoury component married to forest floor and floral violet/iris notes, all tied together by lip-smacking acidity. This is a wine that ages gracefully, taking on the aromatic character of Pinot Noir as it does so. As the wine is not fined or filtered please expect a small natural sediment in the bottle. This bottling comes from vines averaging 30 to 45 years old. The fruit is hand harvested and fermented in whole clusters with native yeasts, kicking off Roilette’s version of traditional Beaujolais semi-carbonic vinification. The temperature-controlled fermentation takes place in open-top neutral vats with the cap kept submerged; the maceration for the Fleurie is approximately 14 days. Aging takes places in vat until bottling in the following summer. 13%   AWARDS & ACCOLADES - 94 PTS