Drinks

Florida Jim

Florida Jim

Florida Jim
1999 Juge, Cornas Cuvée SC:
The best bottle out of the case so far; a velvet texture sans weight; Cornas on the nose and palate but the texture was extraordinary and the balance impeccable. The “Burgundy of Cornas” felt like Richebourg tonight.

2002 Clos de la Roilette, Fleurie Cuvée Tardive:
Somewhat closed on the nose and no immediate indicators of gamay; rich and deep in the mouth, black fruit more than red, Baker’s chocolate, brown spices and little that evokes Fleurie; good sustain. Lacks typicity but still a remarkable, arresting wine and delicious in its own way.

2010 Dom. Chignard, Fleurie Les Moriers:
More typical of its place but also of its vintage which means a pretty big and dense Fleurie. Despite its volume, excellent acidity; this seems like it might go awhile; and probably needs it. But really lovely tonight with grilled chicken.

And, for those evenings when wine simply won’t do, a very simple margarita:
Whisk together 1 tbsp. light agave nectar and 1 tbsp. water.
Pour thinned nectar, ¼ cup blue agave, highland, blanco tequila and 2 tbsp. fresh squeezed lime juice into shaker, add ice and shake until blended.
Strain into low-ball glass and garnish with lime wedge.
No blender; no salt.
Finest kind.

Best, Jim
 
originally posted by Florida Jim:

2002 Clos de la Roilette, Fleurie Cuvée Tardive:
Somewhat closed on the nose and no immediate indicators of gamay; rich and deep in the mouth, black fruit more than red, Baker’s chocolate, brown spices and little that evokes Fleurie; good sustain. Lacks typicity but still a remarkable, arresting wine and delicious in its own way.
Click to expand...
I wonder if you could elaborate on the lack of gamay and Fleurie typicity. Do you find this different from other 2002 Cru Beaujolais that you are aging?
 
Joe,
I really haven't that many comparisons with other 2002's; I have drunk the cellar down a good bit in preparation for shifting it to the west coast.
But my impressions are that Coudert often tastes more like Coudert than Fleurie and that this particular wine is an exemplar. Just one guy's opinion.
You have some thoughts on this? You have a lot more experience and I would be pleased to hear.
Best, Jim
 
originally posted by Florida Jim:
But my impressions are that Coudert often tastes more like Coudert than Fleurie and that this particular wine is an exemplar.
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Coudert would probably agree with this statement, which historically is why Fleurie doesn't appear on the label. Clos de la Roilette is hard up against the border of Moulin-a-Vent and was placed therein until fairly recently. As it shares the manganese soil of M-a-V, it produces a more structured and less forward expression of Gamay.

Mark Lipton
 
I think there's a note in the Coudert page on the Dressner site about the distinct qualities of the Roilette soil - something like, there's unusual clay content, giving wines made from the gamay grapes grown there a MaV tilt.
 
originally posted by Florida Jim:
Joe,
I really haven't that many comparisons with other 2002's; I have drunk the cellar down a good bit in preparation for shifting it to the west coast.
But my impressions are that Coudert often tastes more like Coudert than Fleurie and that this particular wine is an exemplar. Just one guy's opinion.
You have some thoughts on this? You have a lot more experience and I would be pleased to hear.
Best, Jim
Click to expand...

I think it's terroir and not house style. If you try the Cuvee Cristal, which is from more typical Fleurie soil, you would recognize it easily as Fleurie.

If you expand this page, Jules has a nice interview with Coudert about things, and he gets into the soil a bit. He also mentions doing things for lightness and fruit.

The Tardive is quite unusual, but I think it tastes more like the Tardive, if you know what I mean. That depth of flavor and slow development are not your usual Fleurie, maybe it should have its own AOC.

I only have one bottle of 2002 left, wish I had a bunch.
 
originally posted by Ian Fitzsimmons:
I think there's a note in the Coudert page on the Dressner site about the distinct qualities of the Roilette soil - something like, there's unusual clay content, giving wines made from the gamay grapes grown there a MaV tilt.
Click to expand...

Quote from Alain Coudert interview transcribed on the Louis/Dressner website (linked above by Joe):

"Vinification is the traditional, semi-carbonic Beaujolais style. We do a submerged hat, we do temperature control and we use native yeasts. The idea is obviously to best express our terroir, because in Roillette, our soils are 25% clay (as opposed to the rest of the A.O.C which is all granite). This clay is only found in a 50 hectare radius, and result is a more structured wine, somewhere between a "typical" Fleurie and a Moulin a Vent. I vinify in a more Fleurie style, because I'm looking for that freshness and fruit."
 
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