Mike Evans
Mike Evans
When a friend suggests getting together to drink some Clos Roche Blanche, the only correct answer is "yes," and to bring some bottles of my own.
Since Catherine and Didier announced their retirement, a twinge of regret always accompanies the opening of a bottle of Clos Roche Blanche. That sense of loss quickly dissipates after the first pour. These are life-affirming wines which reveal their magic when they are consumed, and sharing them with others magnifies the experience. It was a rare treat to explore the estate's final vintage with good friends who appreciate them as much as I do, and a night I won't soon forget.
2014 Clos Roche Blanche Sauvignon No. 2 - A beautiful Sauvignon Blanc, with melon accented by a twist of lime, a dash of fresh herbs, and a mineral core, it has nice weight that masks its acidity somewhat. Great for sipping on its own, but it really takes off when paired with food, I don't know that it will age as gracefully as the 2000 Sauvignon Blanc, but it should drink well for at least a decade more.
2014 Clos Roche Blanche Pineau d'Aunis Touraine Rosé - Showing mostly melon with a dollop of pepper and celery seed, it is softer, rounder, and doesn't show nearly as much Pineau d'Aunis character as the 2013, nor does it have the same structure or intensity, but it is still delicious and those very characteristics (or the lack thereof) may give it a wider appeal. Still, it is a wine that elicits a smile just from taking a whiff from the glass, and continues to deliver pure pleasure.
2012 Clos Roche Blanche Touraine L'Arpent Rouge -A profound and towering Pineau d'Aunis, tendrils of celery salt, black pepper, and ripe dark fruit explode from the glass and latch on to the pleasure centers of my brain from the first sniff from the glass. Each sip brings me further under its spell, as slightly grainy tannin provides a foundation that allows the flavors to linger. It's a magical and wonderful wine and this bottle not only showed no signs of decline, but suggests room for further growth, though I don't know that it can be much better.
2014 Clos Roche Blanche Touraine Cuvée Gamay - A fantastic Gamay and a nice change of pace from the same varietal from Beaujolais, it shows sweeter than the last bottle I had, more Chambord than fresh raspberry, though with the typical pine bough herbal notes, all focused and united by a crisp tartness.
2014 Clos Roche Blanche Touraine Cuvée Pif - A blend of 60% Côt and 40% Cabernet Franc, with tiny amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon and Pineau d’Aunis, this chameleon of a wine starts out showing its Cabernet Franc character with dark fruit and herbs, then with some air the pure purple fruit Côt steps forward to lead the orchestra for a while, before receding to let the Cabernet Franc again command the stage, though this time in a more rustic, olive-tinged, herbal style that reminds me a lot of Olga Raffault's 2009 Chinon Les Picasses. It has plenty of tannin but plenty of fruit to keep it balanced. Fun, interesting, and pleasurable on a primal level that nourishes the soul and the body. Based on my experience with 1997, 1998, and 1999 Côts and the 1999 Cabernet in recent years, I expect that it has years of pleasure left to offer.
2002 Domaine Huet Vouvray Moelleux 1ère Trie Clos du Bourg - Rich and honeyed, but with plenty of acidity, it is surprisingly dry, showing more like a demi-sec than a moelleux. That lack of apparent sweetness makes it more of a palate-cleansing digestif than a dessert in and of itself, but also gives it much more versatility for pairing with food.
Since Catherine and Didier announced their retirement, a twinge of regret always accompanies the opening of a bottle of Clos Roche Blanche. That sense of loss quickly dissipates after the first pour. These are life-affirming wines which reveal their magic when they are consumed, and sharing them with others magnifies the experience. It was a rare treat to explore the estate's final vintage with good friends who appreciate them as much as I do, and a night I won't soon forget.
2014 Clos Roche Blanche Sauvignon No. 2 - A beautiful Sauvignon Blanc, with melon accented by a twist of lime, a dash of fresh herbs, and a mineral core, it has nice weight that masks its acidity somewhat. Great for sipping on its own, but it really takes off when paired with food, I don't know that it will age as gracefully as the 2000 Sauvignon Blanc, but it should drink well for at least a decade more.
2014 Clos Roche Blanche Pineau d'Aunis Touraine Rosé - Showing mostly melon with a dollop of pepper and celery seed, it is softer, rounder, and doesn't show nearly as much Pineau d'Aunis character as the 2013, nor does it have the same structure or intensity, but it is still delicious and those very characteristics (or the lack thereof) may give it a wider appeal. Still, it is a wine that elicits a smile just from taking a whiff from the glass, and continues to deliver pure pleasure.
2012 Clos Roche Blanche Touraine L'Arpent Rouge -A profound and towering Pineau d'Aunis, tendrils of celery salt, black pepper, and ripe dark fruit explode from the glass and latch on to the pleasure centers of my brain from the first sniff from the glass. Each sip brings me further under its spell, as slightly grainy tannin provides a foundation that allows the flavors to linger. It's a magical and wonderful wine and this bottle not only showed no signs of decline, but suggests room for further growth, though I don't know that it can be much better.
2014 Clos Roche Blanche Touraine Cuvée Gamay - A fantastic Gamay and a nice change of pace from the same varietal from Beaujolais, it shows sweeter than the last bottle I had, more Chambord than fresh raspberry, though with the typical pine bough herbal notes, all focused and united by a crisp tartness.
2014 Clos Roche Blanche Touraine Cuvée Pif - A blend of 60% Côt and 40% Cabernet Franc, with tiny amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon and Pineau d’Aunis, this chameleon of a wine starts out showing its Cabernet Franc character with dark fruit and herbs, then with some air the pure purple fruit Côt steps forward to lead the orchestra for a while, before receding to let the Cabernet Franc again command the stage, though this time in a more rustic, olive-tinged, herbal style that reminds me a lot of Olga Raffault's 2009 Chinon Les Picasses. It has plenty of tannin but plenty of fruit to keep it balanced. Fun, interesting, and pleasurable on a primal level that nourishes the soul and the body. Based on my experience with 1997, 1998, and 1999 Côts and the 1999 Cabernet in recent years, I expect that it has years of pleasure left to offer.
2002 Domaine Huet Vouvray Moelleux 1ère Trie Clos du Bourg - Rich and honeyed, but with plenty of acidity, it is surprisingly dry, showing more like a demi-sec than a moelleux. That lack of apparent sweetness makes it more of a palate-cleansing digestif than a dessert in and of itself, but also gives it much more versatility for pairing with food.
