2006 Clos Roche Blanche Cot Vieilles Vignes: As Real As It Gets
6/23/2008 -
Old Cot vines, before pruning, at CRB
Scattered across Europe one finds a few truly magical vineyards and the talented winemakers there who create artisanal wines with no connection to the commerciality and mediocrity of international-style winemaking. One such place is the Clos Roche Blanche, perched on a beautiful hillside above the Cher River in Touraine and the winemakers are Catherine Roussel, who took over the estate from her grandfather in 1975, and Didier Barrouillet, who arrived in 1981.
Didier’s vineyard work is “beyond Bio-dynamie” and involves thick growths of different types between the rows which attract beneficial insects, fight vine diseases and enrich the soil. His knowledge of the microbial life of the soil, the networks of mycorrhizal funghi and the interactions between the vine and its’ terroir is truly extraordinary. He and Catherine make wonderfully delicious wines from Sauvignon Blanc, Gamay, Pinot D’Aunis, Cabernet Franc and Malbec, but the most unique wine in their cellar is the Cot (Malbec) Vieilles Vignes. In some vintages there is not enough juice to do a separate old vines bottling, but in 2006 Didier was able to bottle a small quantity of Cot from only the 110 year-old vines, planted in the late 19th century. The rows are spaced wide apart, which allowed the horse-drawn maunure carts to pass, and the thick and gnarled vines, which spread out 5 to 6 feet across, produce tiny amounts of concentrated high-acidity juice. Didier is quite pleased with the 2006 and very confident of its potential. It will benefit from at least five years of aging and should drink beautifully for another 10 years after that….
Lyle's notes... "The nose is initially all fruit with some mineral undertones. Fruit of a crimson nature. Then a leafy aspect emerges with lovely blackberry, boysenberry and lavender. Palate is rich and concentrated with a touch of austerity but wonderful purity. As the wine sits in the glass it opens up more and more with juicily defined flavors of brambly fruit and that wonderful earthy leafiness. Man this is juicy stuff. If leaves mashed with a mélange of berries are your thing then this wine is perfect for you. The nose, after aeration, has great lift with flowers, plants and a stony minerality. The tannins are sweet, ripe and abundant but integrate wonderfully with air. I just love Cot from Touraine as it is austere but never as austere as certain traditional Cahors producers. Lovely wine that will open and open and expand your mind for at least three days. Something to drink now but will cellar wonderfully for ten years or more. There are values left in the wine world.
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