Alain Coudert

New Arrivals from Beaujolais: Alain Coudert's "Clos de la Roilette" Fleurie and More...

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Alain Coudert's "Clos de la Roilette" Fleurie and Fleurie "Cuvée Tardive" have been great favorites of ours since the late 1980's when we purchased from Alain's jovial father Fernand. The 2022s have just arrived and we're happy to report that the mid-summer heat was followed by enough rain in August to bring in healthy fruit, producing wines that are ripe and full-bodied but with nice brightness and good acidity.  It's not 2014 of course, but we found the "Clos de la Roilette" to be especially charming in this vintage. As usual, the "Cuvée Tardive," as the name implies, will need some time in the cellar...

Fernand Coudert

Since taking over the estate from his father in 1991, Alain Coudert has become one of the most consistent and respected producers in Beaujolais. Alain was a reluctant vigneron, returning to aid the family after his brother had a serious accident in 1979. During our early visits to the estate, the modest Alain would defer to his father who would hold court at the long bar as old bottles were brought up from the cellar. Located near the border with Moulin-a-Vent and having a large percentage of clay with manganese in the soil, the wines here are quite structured for a Fleurie and even poor vintages will show well with ten years of age. "Vinification is the traditional, semi-carbonic Beaujolais style," says Alain. "We do a submerged cap, we do temperature control and we use native yeasts. The idea is obviously to best express our terroir...the result is a more structured wine, somewhere between a "typical" Fleurie and a Moulin-a-Vent. Cuvée Tardive is made from 80 year-old vines and can seriously age - in a way it's to prove that Gamay is a grape that can achieve more than youthful drinkability." The estate makes superb wines in vintages like  2022, with firm earthy acidity and good brightness balancing the ripe fruit. Both wines are highly recommended. The "Clos de la Roilette" for current drinking and 5 to 8 years of cellaring, and  the "Tardive" for great enjoyment over the next ten to twenty years. (6 bottle maximum on "Tardive" please.)

And now there is a Moulin a Vent by Alain! - From newly acquired estate vines comes this first vintage of the Couderts' new Moulin-à-Vent. Vinification is identical to that for Roilette Fleurie wines: a traditional, semi-carbonic Beaujolais style. The whole clusters are harvested by hand and fermented spontaneously with native yeasts in open-top concrete tank. Maceration lasts around 14 days with a submerged cap rather than punchdowns. Sulfur use is quite minimal. The wine is aged in large, old oak foudres for about 9 months before bottling. This is for the cellar! (And there are a few bottles available of the 2021 Fleurie "Griffe du Marquis.")

A few more of our favorite Beaujolais...

Georges Descombes is one of the very greatest producers in Beaujolais - his 2019s and 2020s - both the "regular" cuvées and the Vieilles Vignes - are astonishingly delicious! Very little of these wines remain so be sure to grab some for current drinking or cellaring of 8 to 12 years.

Claude-Emmanuelle and Louis-Benoît Desvignes are the eighth generation of the Desvignes family to work their great vineyards in Morgon, on and around the famous Cote de Py.

Desvignes fils et fille

2021 Morgon Javernieres "Aux Pierres" - 2020 was the first vintage from a new parcel in the historic lieu-dit of Javernières at the foot of the famous Côte du Py hill. "Aux Pierres" comes from this 0.57-hectare plot of 90-year-old vines on a steep, east-facing slope. The soils are iron-rich, red clay with schist, pyrite and decomposed volcanic rocks.  The wine is aged in 30-hectoliter concrete egg for 10 months and bottled with a light, non-sterile filtration. The Desvignes family considers "Aux Pierres" to be a true vin de garde.  2021 Morgon "Cote de Py" Always a superb Beaujolais, the 2021 takes us back to a lighter and lower alcohol style. Fans of the 2014s will enjoy the balance and finesse of this lovely wine...

Domaine des Terres Dorées Year in and year out the organic Beaujolais of Jean-Paul Brun are among the most delicious and affordable wines of the region. Coming from old vines in the village of Charnay in the southern Beaujolais, planted on slopes sporting the area's signature sandy clay-limestone soils, featuring the particular local "dorée" or "golden" limestone that is laden with iron. The 2021 L'Ancien Vieilles Vignes is a lovely Gamay to drink young, vinified in a Burgundian style. The 2022 Beaujolais Blanc is aged in concrete and steel vats retaining the freshness and purity of this beautiful Chardonnay. With Burgundy prices going sky-high, this should be your house white! And Jean-Paul's "Rosé de Folie" is always one of the most vibrant and purely delicious of all rosés, for year-round enjoyment!

All wines discount 10% on a case or mixed case. Please allow until Thursday 9/14 for pick-up or shipping.

 

Coudert (Clos de la Roilette) 2022 Fleurie Clos de la Roilette

There is no shortage of ripeness in the 2022 "Clos de la Roilette" Fleurie from our friend Alain Coudert, but despite the 14% of alcohol, this wine is just delightlful, showing charming, pure raspberry fruit with aromas that are delicate and floral but lush and deep at the same time. The full-bodied palate is beautifully textured and balanced by bright acidity with earth and mineral flavors beneath the lovely dense fruit. Serve this gorgeous wine a bit cool over the next five to eight years, pure enjoyment!

  • red
  • 9 in stock
  • $27.99

Coudert (Clos de la Roilette) 2022 Fleurie Cuvée Tardive

We have had the pleasure of selling every vintage of Alain Coudert's "Cuvée Tardive" since it's creation in 1994 (or was it 1995?) and the 2022 is certainly one of the best! Although the vintage is marked by ripeness and generous alcohol (14%) we found the 2022 to be less forward and more firmly structured than the equally sunny vintages of 2018 - 2020.  From average 80 year-old vines in clay with manganese in addition to granite soils near Moulin-A-Vent, fermentation in whole clusters with native yeasts in open-top, neutral wood vats with the cap kept submerged; the maceration for Tardive is approximately 18 days, aging takes place in old foudres.  The 2022 shows a dark black/red color, with elegant aromas of ripe blackberry and black cherry with violet, licorice and earth. The palate is deep and tight with black cherry, blackberry and strawberry liqueur, licorice and spice, backed by firm acidity and intense mineral flavors. The finish is sensational with fabulous purity and depth, showing very firm tannins and slightly bitter black fruits. Please hold five years, and drink until 2040. Very little is available, 6 bottle maximum, please.  David Lillie

  • red
  • 11 in stock
  • $35.99

  • red
  • 6 in stock
  • $74.99

Coudert (Clos de la Roilette) 2021 Fleurie Griffe du Marquis

Aged in two to six year-old Burgundy barrels. From eighty-plus year-old vines, as is Tardive. "The wood is obviously not present to mask the wine, but rather to accompany it, to complement its tannins and create complexity. It's really tight the first two years, but opens up beautifully when you give it some time," says Alain.

  • red
  • 8 in stock
  • $46.99

Descombes, Georges 2019 Morgon Vieilles Vignes

 This is a classic version of the Descombes Morgon VV, showing ripe high-toned black raspberry and tart cherry aromas with plum, violet, citrus, earth and brown spice, really lovely. The elegant sappy black and red fruits continue on the palate with complex notes of blood orange,  mint and spice, quite saline and earthy as well, really showing the terroir. The wine is dense and structured but bright and balanced, finishing with refreshing acidity, citrus, cherry fruit, anise and mineral flavors. Delicious now, this should be superb in three to five years, and should drink well till 2030 and beyond.  David Lillie

  • red
  • 2 in stock
  • $41.99

  • Organic
  • Low Sulfur

Descombes, Georges 2020 Morgon Vieilles Vignes

The Descombes Morgon Vieilles Vignes is made from 60 to  100 year-old vines from numerous sites on granite soils; semi-carbonic fermentation then aging  6 - 8 months in Burgundy barrels and one year in bottle before release. Dense and dark, this wine has formidable concentration. Some nice floral notes on the nose, with some vegetable ash and herbal characteristics wrapped around the dense dark fruit core. Deep and intense blackberry compote character on the palate is supported by inky tannin. This is a full-blooded Beaujolais that will benefit from a decade in the cellar, though right now it's certainly delicious as a young wine as well - always one of our favorite Beaujolais!

  • red
  • 13 in stock
  • $43.99

  • Organic

Terres Dorées (Jean-Paul Brun) 2021 Beaujolais l'Ancien V.V.

L'Ancien comes from Jean Paul Brun's home village of Charnay in the southern Beaujolais. The vines range in age from 40 to 60 years old and are planted on slopes sporting the area's signature sandy clay-limestone soils, featuring the particular local "dorée" or "golden" limestone that is laden with iron. These older vines have always been farmed organically and harvested by hand and yield small, thick-skinned Gamay berries. As for all Terres Dorées reds, the vinification is traditional Burgundian rather than the normal carbonic maceration in Beaujolais. The palate shows lush, ripe berry fruits backed by citrusy acidity, quite refreshing. The finish is long and sappy with bright red fruits and tart acidity - stock-up on this crowd-pleasing Beaujolais!

  • red
  • 18 in stock
  • $19.99

Terres Dorées (Jean-Paul Brun) 2022 Beaujolais Chardonnay

Jean-Paul Brun's Chardonnay comes from 35 year-old vines grown on sandy clay and limestone soils in the southern Beaujolais  and is raised in stainless steel (no oak).  Bright aromas of peach, apricot, lemon zest, and thyme lead to flavors of pure white fruits, juicy lime, crisp orange blossom, subtle herbal undertones, and a long chalky finish. Paired with salad, seafood,chicken, goat milk cheeses, or nothing at all, this is a beautiful choice and great value in white Burgundy!

  • white
  • 21 in stock
  • $21.99

  • Organic
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Coudert (Clos de la Roilette) 2022 Moulin-A-Vent

Wow, A Moulin-a-Vent from Alain Coudert! Not so surprising as the "border" with Moulin-a-Vent is next to his Fleurie "Clos de la Roilette." As might be expected, the nose is marked by earth and mineral notes with spice, floral and black fruits peeking out reluctantly. The palate is dense but quite elegant and fine, dominated by earthy acidity at this point, with subtle pure black fruits in the finish. Worth trying a few bottles, but hide them in the cellar...

  • Out of Stock
  • red
  • 0 in stock
  • $32.99

Descombes, Georges 2020 Fleurie Vieilles Vignes 1.5L

The warm and dry 2020 vintage produced wines that are ripe and lush, but with good balanceand brightness as well. The 2020 Fleurie Vieilles Vignes shows a bright red/black color and aromas that are a beautiful blend of violet, black raspberry and blackberry with a bit of brown spice and citrus. The grainy textured  palate really shows the granite terroir, with very earthy black fruit liqueur, licorice and stone flavors in the long finish. A very young wine, decant if drinking now, this serious Fleurie should really sing after a few years in the cellar, drink until 2030+  David Lillie

  • Out of Stock
  • red
  • 0 in stock
  • no discount
  • $78.99

  • Organic
  • Low Sulfur

Terres Dorees (Jean-Paul Brun) 2022 Beaujolais Rosé d'Folie

(Arrives Thursday 9/14) Skewing a deeper salmon hue, the nose is redolent of ruby red grapefruit, melon and pomegranate. with faint garrigue in the background. The palate is dry and crisp with very bright acidity, a somewhat tannic spine with a faint bitter melon rind finish with notes of sanguine orange and  ruby red grapefruit. Extremely refreshing and albeit fuller bodied in style, would make an excellent paring with tuna, bluefish, seafood stews and crawfish boils! Giselle Hamburg

  • Out of Stock
  • rosé
  • 0 in stock
  • $15.99

  • Organic
  • Low Sulfur