Domaine Coudert

Alain Coudert is considered one of the finest producers in the Beaujolais, part in thanks to the prized lieu-dit - Clos de la Roilette - that is that he is working from.The domain and indeed, Clos de la Roilette, sits right on the border with the Moulin-a-Vent cru. This 9 hectare site has an excellent eastern exposure and the soils here are atypically rich in clay (25% as opposed to the rest of the appellation which is all granite) and manganese. This clay is only found in a 50 hectare radius, and the result is a more structured wine, somewhere between a ‘typical’ Fleurie with its elegant floral notes and a more structured and muscular Moulin-à-Vent. However, Alain vinifies his wines to really elevate the Fleurie aspect of them and while these are dense and powerful, there is the unmistakable fresh fragrance of Fleurie. The structure also makes these wines great contenders to age as well as any wine from the Cotes de Nuits.

Coudert works sustainably according to lutte raisonnée practices. As a large part of Roilette is heavy in clay it makes any mechanical work next to impossible. The soils are worked manually about twice a year, but only superficially because Alain is concerned he would rip the vines right out of the ground otherwise, especially the really old parcels which reach 80 years old. In the cellar, vinification is traditional and there is no new oak used.