Clos de la Roilette Brouilly

Although it is now very normal to make your wine outwith a denomination, at the beginning of the 20th century it was a real setback. And that is what happened to Monsier Crozet, owner of a domaine in Beaujolais (France) who, when the AOC Fleurie was created in 1920, lost the Moulin-à-Vent denomination. He was so angry that he created a label using only a photograph of his racehorse Roilette. Hence the name Clos de la Roilette. In the mid-1960s, the heirs, with no interest in the estate and not a penny in their pockets, sold it in a semi-wild state to Fernand Coudert. Since then, three generations have worked 9 hectares at Fleurie and have been responsible for making the Domaine one of the best in Beaujolais.

But even if the Roilette wines are pure Fleurie, it is important to emphasize that the wine is made in a small estate in Brouilly. This is Clos de la Roilette Brouilly, a lighter wine whose Gamay vines are 30 to 45 years old on average and planted in soils rich in clay and mineral manganese. They are sustainably cultivated and the grapes are harvested by hand. Once the grapes reach the winery, the bunches ferment whole with native yeasts in neutral open vats with the cap submerged. Maceration lasts about two weeks and aging takes place in old foudres until bottling.

In 2016 The New York Times wine critic, Eric Asimov stated that “Alain Coudert of El Clos de la Roilette, is one of the AOC Fleurie’s long-time favourite producers, whose wines should not be overshadowed​by newer and more whimsical names.”  Do you want to see for yourself with Clos de la Roilette Brouilly?