| Review: |
"The 2021 Clos de la Bergerie is showing well today, revealing a fresh, elegant bouquet with aromas of peach, pear and anise combined with hints of spices and herbs. Medium-bodied, elegant and supple with an enveloping mid-palate, it concludes with a long, fresh and penetrating finish. When I visited Château de la Roche-aux-Moines in November, I spoke with Virginie Joly, Nicolas Joly’s daughter who joined her father in 2022. With no training in enology or viticulture, Virginie learned alongside her father ‘and in the vineyard.’ She explained how difficult it was to work the vines in the Coulée de Serrant, a vineyard planted in 1130 by Cistercian monks. With its dizzying slopes, being a winegrower in this cult wine area is a real challenge — replanting is nearly impossible because the vines die quickly and there are early frosts. Fortunately, the Joly family has a way with ideas. Pioneers of biodynamic viticulture, the Joly family produce three wines: Coulée de Serrant, a monopole; Clos de la Bergerie, which produces wines in the Savennières Roches-aux-Moines appellation; and Les Vieux Clos in the Savennières appellation." |