WTN: 20+ Coudert, plus Champagne and more

Headed up to a dacha on Candlewood Lake for a big Coudert tasting Saturday.

Charcuterie (pate de campagne, duck rilletes, wild boar pate, garlic sausage, prosciutto, and a ham marinated in red wine - something Jesu), cheeses (my favorite was a Grafton Bear Hill), and grilled olives.

2019 Girost Blanc de Blancs
Pear, brioche and almond, long and tangy. Elegant mousse, delicious. A-

2016 Clos de la Roilette Cuvee Tardive Fleurie
Young and aromatic, very tight on palate.B/B+

2016 Clos de la Roilette Griffe du Marquis Fleurie
Structured but with plush texture , cassis and cocoa, more open the Tardive (others liked less). B+

2015 Clos de la Roilette Fleurie
Fruity and friendly, open, some thought it too tannic B+/B

2014 Clos de la Roilette Fleurie
Balanced ripe and herbal, aromatic and long. Young but lovely A-

2014 Clos de la Roilette Cuvee Tardive Fleurie
Structured +tannic, B for now, A potential.

2012 Clos de la Roilette Fleurie
Lovely, first wine that seems ready, dark berries and earth. B+/A-

2012 Clos de la Roilette Cuvee Tardive Fleurie
Very Pinot, black cherry and spices. A-

2013 Clos de la Roilette Cuvee Tardive Fleurie
tannic but great herbal aromas. B

2011 Clos de la Roilette Cuvee Tardive Fleurie
Very herbal, dark fruits, some slightly rough tannins need to integrate but I like (some really dislike), B+

Lovely shrimp ceviche with cucumbers and a touch of Aleppo pepper
2023 Domaiine des Senons Mons Paronis Chardonnay
Chardonnay from Yonne. Fresh crisp and mineral, I really loved this. A-

2000 Texier Chateauneuf-du-Pape Blanc
Quite alive, good acids for white CdP, lemony and without the oily notes I so dislike in white Rhone, decent but not really my cuppa. B-/B

2010 Clos de la Roilette Cuvee Tardive Fleurie
Very floral (rose petals), raspberry fruit, a little tight at first but but opens B+/A-

2010 Clos de la Roilette Griffe du Marquis Fleurie
This and the 2011 Tardive were probably most divisive wines of the night. I thought lovely rich and ready, some thought too woody and tannic. I didn’t perceive as woody but as a bit opulent. I loved. A-

2009 Clos de la Roilette Fleurie
raspberry and kirsch, some tannin, needs time. B/B+

2009 Clos de la Roilette Cuvee Tardive
Tighter than Don’ s 3L at Chambers 25th, this really seems closed. B for now

2013 Leclerc Briant Ch. d’Avise Blancx de Blancs
This was strange, on front it says Brut Zero, but then back label says 2.3 g/l dosage???
New producer to me. Lemon, brioche, a touch of almonds, powerful. B+

2009 Clos de la Roilette Griffe du Marquis Fleurie
Herbal, rich and a hint of wood, tannin, needs time. B+

2008 Clos de la Roilette Fleurie
A nice greenness, bright redder fruits, ready to go. B++

2007 Clos de la Roilette Cuvee Tardive Fleurie
Mushroom and raspberry, cocoa, still a bit of tannic structure but really ina good place. A-

Beef stew was delicious

2006 Clos de la Roilette Fleurie
Ready and long, citrus zest, black raspberry, B+/A-

2006 Clos de la Roilette Cuvee Tardive Fleurie
Complex, mineral, tangy. A-/B+

About here my phone notes sputter out. I was spitting some, but had arranged to crash over night so wasn’t driving and therefore consuming more. The rest is mostly from memory

2019 Laherte Grandes Cayeres
Lemon curd, fresh bread, nuts. B+?

2005 Clos de la Roilette Fleurie
Still youthful, black cherry and raspberry. B+/A-

2005 Clos de la Roilette Cuvee Tardive Fleurie
My note just says smoky but I remember this as being a fave. A-?

2004 Clos de la Roilette Fleurie
Red fruited and floral, in a very nice place B+/A-?

2004 Clos de la Roilette Cuvee Tardive Fleurie
Darker and brambly, A- ?

2002 Clos de la Roilette Cuvee Tardive Fleurie
Delicious and complex, with enough structure to go another 20 years. A-

2000 Clos de la Roilette Fleurie
Pinot-y, red cherry with smoke and cocoa., A-/B+?

What a night. I’m pretty tannin tolerant so I liked some wines (09s, ‘11, etc) more than some others, and some liked the Griffes less than I did. More for me! Fun group, fun night. No need to hurry on your Coudert!

Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent wine, B a good wine, C drinkable. Anything below C means I wouldn't drink at a party where it was the only choice. Furthermore, I offer no promises of objectivity, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency.

[David M. Bueker]

I’ve still got one mag left of that 2009 Coudert Tardive. Starting to wonder if it will ever come around, or just dry out.

I’ve still got one mag left of that 2009 Coudert Tardive. Starting to wonder if it will ever come around, or just dry out.

I've got a mag of the 2014 Tardive and feel the same.

Thanks so much to you and your host (and I presume that Gilman may have organized the event) for this wealth of information, Dale. I am still on the fence about Coudert. I have the '10 Tardive, '11 normale, '14 normale and Tardive (mag), and '21 Griffe. I have yet to open a Roilette that I thought was truly ready to drink.

Count me as a Coudert fan, especially after a recent visit. I don’t have anywhere near that long track record tasting these as others, but I usually really enjoy. My main quibble is some bottles have been quite sour or tart at first, but that usually goes away with food or a little palate calibration.

[Jenise]

Wow. Impressed that you could gather up that many bottles from one producer, even one as universally respected as Roilette. Your comments on the '11 had me scurrying for my notes as I remembered loving that wine (and it wasn't herbal) several months ago, but alas ours was the Griffe.

Sasha was host/organizer (John was there).
While "when will they ever be truly mature" is a legitimate concern, I wouldn't worry about '09 or '14drying out. That's what everyone said about the 05s and they were lovely this weekend. I just drink Coudert with the understanding there is going to be structure, these are your Beaujolais to drink with meat. I think our host retried and like 09 and 14 even more on following nights.
I think the funny thing about the 09 Tardive is the 750 was tighter than a 3L couple weeks ago.
If anyone didn't know, the Griffe is the same old vine parcel as the Tardive, just aged in (used) Burgundy barriques rather than foudre.

Nice work! I saw some of the photos on IG, where it looked like the bottles never ended...