While we frequently focus on Riesling and Chardonnay as the great white grapes of the world, another outstanding white wine grape for its range of expression and ability to age is Chenin Blanc. It’s one of my favourite grapes, so I’m very excited for this tasting. During this Saturday afternoon tasting at our shop, we will explore Chenin Blanc as expressed in Nicolas Joly's Clos de la Coulée de Serrant, a subappellation located in Savennières in the Loire Valley, and enjoy a bit of cheese too. It’s one of three estates in France that is its own AOC; the other two are Romanée-Conti and Château Grillet. The Clos de la Coulée de Serrant vineyard is a very old vineyard; originally being planted by Cistercian monks in 1130, and the current average age of the vines is 30 years old.

The person most famously associated with Le Clos de la Coulée de Serrant vineyard is Nicolas Joly. I met him in New York City several years ago at Rouge Tomate at a forum about biodynamics. I had admired his wines and wanted to meet the passionate, intellectual winemaker behind them. The lecture he gave didn’t disappoint. Nicolas Joly doesn’t just believe in biodynamics in the vineyard, he practices the tenets of this philosophy in every aspect of his life.

In this tasting we will taste one wine made before Nicolas took over as well as three vintages before the Clos de la Coulée de Serrant vineyard was fully biodynamic. We will then be able to compare those wines to the vintages that came after Nicolas’ biodynamic approach was fully utilised. In addition, we will taste a very rare Moelleux made for the 1995 vintage. While we drank incredible white Burgundy together on Saturday night (including a 1966 Maison Leroy Meursault Perrières), come join me on 4 May to experience some other outstanding ageworthy whites from one of my favourite winemakers in the Loire Valley, Nicolas Joly.
 

Wines to be served:
2014 Domaine Nicolas Joly Clos de la Coulée de Serrant
2013 Domaine Nicolas Joly Clos de la Coulée de Serrant
2012 Domaine Nicolas Joly Clos de la Coulée de Serrant
2007 Domaine Nicolas Joly Clos de la Coulée de Serrant
1997 Domaine Nicolas Joly Clos de la Coulée de Serrant
1995 Domaine Nicolas Joly Clos de la Coulée de Serrant
1995 Domaine Nicolas Joly Clos de la Coulée de Serrant Moelleux
1990 Domaine N. Joly Clos de la Coulée de Serrant
1986 Domaine A. Joly Clos de la Coulée de Serrant
1982 Domaine A. Joly Clos de la Coulée de Serrant
1980 Domaine A. Joly Clos de la Coulée de Serrant
1970 Domaine A. Joly Clos de la Coulée de Serrant