CWD: '02 N Joly Clos de la Bergerie

D

drssouth

Stephen South
Rooting around the cellar for something to brighten up a dreary, rainy 36 degree NC day...
2002 N Joly Clos de la Bergerie Savennieres, alc 13.9%, $39: I spotted this on a top shelf..the capsule was raised and when it was removed the cork was entirely soaked...my expectations were low... the color is a deep yellow...the nose is lemon drop and lemon zest...the taste is like sunshine..bright,warm and inviting with a firm structure and great texture...the finish is long and pleasureable...altogether a pleasing wine...my mood is already improving!!

(maybe those buried cow horns really do have magical powers)
 
The same wine from 1996 was great recently. Wish the Joly wines weren't so expensive but I guess if you look at the big picture they are worth it.
 
Is this already a vintage when Joly's daughter (apparently not such a loonie as her father) had taken over the wine making? I remember the Finnish importer telling me at one tasting that the daughter isn't at all as hard-core in her philosophy as her father, so apparently the newer wines should taste more like Chenin than Philosophy.

-Otto
 
I like Joly wines but they do take a while to come around. Maybe we should be looking for bottles with faulty corks? Sounds great.
 
originally posted by Brad Kane:
I think the Bergerie is better than the Coulee de Serrant in '02.
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I think the Bergerie is more consistent and accessible than the Coulee de la Serrant in most vintages. It might not hit the same highs, but at least you don't need to spin the wheel of pain.
 
The daughter is every bit as committed to biodynamics as her father.

Joe Perry: what vintages do you have in mind?

I thought the 2003 Coule, which I had several times in France, was sensational by the way. And that was one awfully difficult vintage.

The Coule is one of the world's great terroirs and despite some excesses, I think you usually see it in the wine. I think it could be better and agreed with Jacqueline's Friedrich's assessment that it was too bad Guy Bossard didn't own the estate.

But I wouldn't belittle the vineyards.
 
originally posted by Joe Dressner:

But I wouldn't belittle the vineyards.
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I can't recall anyone ever belittling the vineyards, Joe. Just the ayatollah making the wines and neglecting the vines.
 
Calling him an ayatollah is plain ridiculous. I don't think the vines are really neglected there. I do think the winemaking could be improved.
 
originally posted by Brad Kane:
originally posted by Joe Dressner:
Calling him an ayatollah is plain ridiculous.
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Why? He preaches extremism and really doesn't want to hear anything else.
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Well, the label Ayatollah is just about as loaded as you can get. Although most Disorderists seem to have taken the term "Taliban" as a badge of honor, it is no less an epithet. How about referring to Joly Pre as an idealogue, which -- although still not exactly a compliment -- is at least a value-neutral label.

Mark Lipton
 
originally posted by MLipton:
originally posted by Brad Kane:
originally posted by Joe Dressner:
Calling him an ayatollah is plain ridiculous.
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Why? He preaches extremism and really doesn't want to hear anything else.
Click to expand...

Well, the label Ayatollah is just about as loaded as you can get. Although most Disorderists seem to have taken the term "Taliban" as a badge of honor, it is no less an epithet. How about referring to Joly Pre as an idealogue, which -- although still not exactly a compliment -- is at least a value-neutral label.

Mark Lipton
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That's fine with me. He is certainly an idealogue. Many great wines are being made using the ideology he espouses. I am not of that ideology although I think that vignerons who believe in biodynamie generally do better work because of their believes. As Didier Barouillet said to me: "Anything which brings a vigneron closer to his vines is good for the wine." Didier rejected Biodyanmie as an ideology but is respectful of its best practioners.
 
originally posted by Brad Kane:
originally posted by Joe Dressner:
Calling him an ayatollah is plain ridiculous.
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Why? He preaches extremism and really doesn't want to hear anything else.
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Is he responsible for the Holocaust? Or the killings of Kurds?

What is the name for the Hitler labeling on internet boards?
 
You're very welcome.

Though my experience is far from comprehensive, in my limited experience I've found the style of Joly's wines changed sometime around '00 or '01. They seem friendlier young these days, less sulfurous, riper, softer, hipper, up and down the line.
 
originally posted by Brad Kane:
originally posted by Joe Dressner:

But I wouldn't belittle the vineyards.
Click to expand...

I can't recall anyone ever belittling the vineyards, Joe. Just the ayatollah making the wines and neglecting the vines.
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No one belittles the vineyards themselves, but to my inexpert eye, there are vines in his finest vineyards that looked like houseplants in my apartment, and that is truly no complement.
 
originally posted by SFJoe:
No one belittles the vineyards themselves, but to my inexpert eye, there are vines in his finest vineyards that looked like houseplants in my apartment, and that is truly no complement.
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No complement to the vineyard's furniture, which resembles the furniture in your apartment?
 
originally posted by Brad Kane:
originally posted by Joe Dressner:
Calling him an ayatollah is plain ridiculous.
Click to expand...

Why? He preaches extremism and really doesn't want to hear anything else.
Click to expand...

You have misunderstood what an ayatollah is. Just because some have preached extremism doesn't make the word synonymous with it. An ayatollah is simply one of the highest clerical ranks in Shi'ite Islam, usually given to experts on Islamic jurisprudence. So if you want an Islamic term to denote extremism, Taliban is much better as it really does seem to be an extremist movement, whereas there is much variation within the 20 or so ayatollahs presently alive.
 
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