Coudert - Fleurie Clos De La Roilette Cuvée Tardive 2023 (750ml)

93 Points Wine Advocate

"Crafted from 60- to 80-year-old vines, the 2023 Fleurie Cuvée Tardive bursts with bold aromas of cherries, blackberries, licorice and purple petals. Full-bodied and plush, it delivers a more cushioned and luxurious version than the Fleurie cuvée, with tannins finely integrated into the flesh, adding just the right amount of resistance to impart finesse. Its dark-fruited tones evolve to unveil layers of umami, leather and crushed stone, promising even further development in the years to come. With that said, this is a beautifully crafted wine, exemplifying remarkable harmony. As always, it is recommended to age this wine as long as you can keep your hands off of it."

"100% Gamay. From the oldest estate vines, which are 80 years old and up, on heavy clay soils with relatively little granite and quite a lot of the iron-like mineral manganese. "Tardive" does not mean that the harvest is late but rather is a reference to the wine's ability and need to age for years. The farming is sustainable. All vineyard work is by hand, with the soils worked only superficially, at most twice per year, to protect the roots of these old vines. Vinification is 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 18 days for Tardive, with a submerged cap rather than punchdowns. The wine is aged in large oak foudres of 80 to 100 years old for 9 months before bottling. Sulfur use is quite minimal."  Bowler wine