6/25/2023 - purple_grape Likes this wine:

Still closed and tannins are fine but slightly aggressive

10/30/2022 - purple_grape wrote:

Excellent, but try again in 12 months.

5/7/2022 - purple_grape Likes this wine:

Reasonable typicity but missing structure. Some confectionary red tube on the palate.
The legs are medium. There is no sediment in the bottle. It smells like violet, raspberry and red currant. It tastes like red currant and strawberry jam. The body is medium. The wine has juicy texture. The wine finishes medium. The wine has medium acidity.

4/2/2022 - purple_grape Likes this wine:

Nicolas Joly, and his revolutionary approach to winegrowing and winemaking, is synonymous with both Savennières specifically and Loire Chenin Blanc in general. Coulée de Serrant, Joly’s monopole 7-hectare vineyard, is one of the few appellations in France owned by a single estate (the other two being Romanée Conti and Château-Grillet). It was first planted in 1130 by Cistercian monks. The vines here are mostly 35 to 40 years old, with the oldest planted in 1935.

From the monopole and single vineyard AOC of Coulee de Serrant comes Nicolas Joly’s top flight chenin blanc. Of course Joly’s name is synonymous with some of the most concerted and dedicated biodynamic farming in the wine world. This chenin blanc arguably one of the most chased down whites from France. Fancy as. I remember more bony, skeletal and mineral-flecked wines in the past, but the modern incarnation of Coulee de Serrant is power, depth, richness.

12/11/2021 - purple_grape Likes this wine:

Needs time but once it opened up after 3 hours decanted, the sweet dark fruits emerge from the cedar. Bright acidity, wonderful length and grip. This will no doubt continue to age gracefully so rich and bright is the fruit core. But drinking wonderfully now. Be sure to breathe it.

12/9/2021 - purple_grape wrote:

This has come into its own. Spicy ripe nose, fruit cake but no jammy or backed. Palette is rich, spicy, medium acidity and carrying the 15% alcohol really well now, better than 12 months ago. Medium + complexity. Thoroughly enjoyable.

11/21/2021 - purple_grape Likes this wine:

Heady perfume of honeysuckle, lemon, incredible drive and breadth on the palate (if that is possible). Lovely, already showing some development with honeyed tertiary notes. Drank at Matteos with Rog, Toze and Dave for Rog’s 50th.

10/9/2021 - purple_grape Likes this wine:

An intense wine with great length. Very fresh still for 11 years of age (under screw cap) and showing little development in the glass. The Malbec is pronounced, providing deep blue and purple fruits, spice and meat, while the Cabernet plays over and around the Malbec core with sweet graphite and lacy tannins. This could easily age for at least another 10 years. Very little sediment in bottle and mainly primary character at present. Very spicy on the tongue which is distracting to start with, but mellowed as the wine breathed. Decanted for 90 minutes before drinking but next bottle I would breath for 3 to 4 hours.

9/27/2021 - purple_grape Likes this wine:

Savoury and slightly closed on the nose, but beautifully mouth feel and freshness with flavours of melon and lemon rind. Opened up as it rested. Very good if still young.

9/25/2021 - purple_grape Likes this wine:

Orange rind and roses on the medium intensity nose. Raspberry, cherry, quite sweet, sandy gripping tannins that linger. Long and unctuous yet light footed. Very good.