Fleurie Cuvee Tardive 2022 (Clos de la Roilette)

Cellar for up to 9 years. No need to decant. Can be served lightly chilled. Clos de la Roilette is widely regarded as one of Fleurie’s top producers and their iconic wine is the sensational Cuvée Tardive. This unique wine is lovingly crafted by father and son Fernand and Alain with grapes sourced from two special plots planted with vines over 80 years old. The Couderts vinify this wine with an extended maceration period and higher fermentation temperature which helps to create a wine with a firmer structure and intense richness. On the nose there are complex layers of rose petals, crushed strawberries, and red cherries overlaid with hints of tobacco, cinnamon, dried herbs, and licorice. The first sip reveals a firm structure and smooth entry along with an intense red fruit character which lingers long on the tongue. This wine is at an ideal moment in its evolution to be enjoyed now, but for those with more patience it can be cellared and will continue to develop over the next decade or so. Clos de la Roilette today enjoys a stellar reputation in France and beyond, yet in the 1960s the estate had fallen into disrepair. Fernand Coudert had the foresight to purchase the estate in 1967 and spent years replanting the vineyards and restoring the property to its former glory. In 1984 his son, Alain, was also bitten aby the winemaking bug and joined his father in the family business.