2021 Coudert, Clos de la Roilette, Fleurie, Griffe du Marquis

Alain Coudert’s approach at Clos de la Roilette centers on the preservation of old-vine Gamay through labor-intensive, sustainable vineyard stewardship that respects the unique soil composition of this eastern Fleurie site. Unlike the estate’s standard bottlings, the Griffe du Marquis is drawn from a selection of the domain’s oldest vines—some dating back to the 1930s—planted in heavy clay soils uniquely rich in manganese. Following a traditional whole-cluster fermentation with native yeasts, this cuvée is distinguished by an aging regimen in French oak barriques, a departure from the larger foudres used elsewhere in the cellar. The 2021 vintage, characterized by a cool, challenging growing season, resulted in lower potential alcohol and preserved a focused, high-tension acidity that underpins the wine’s fine-grained, structured palate. This interplay between the site’s inherent mineral-rich density and the vintage’s structural nerve yields a wine of precise, deliberate architecture.