30 years of Coulée de Serrant

La Coulée de Serrant was planted with vines by Cistercian monks as early as 1130 and has had 881 (soon 882) consecutive grape harvests. It's a single AOC of just 7 hectares. Biodynamic guru Nicolas Joly is at the helm here. I've been a bit sceptical, especially after the monstrous 06 and 05's, (and oxidized!) but todays tasting of 08 and 09 makes me feel they might be back on track. Todays speach on how a cow see right through you and that snowflakes are individual may seem a bit far off topic.

On the other hand, when he talks about that a little of this, or a little of that may, or may not be harmfull in or on the soil. When he then says that a leech was nothing but a tiny seed a few months back, it's all easier to see how only a tiny piece of something, can have a good or a bad effect. Obvious really, even if it sometimes feels like a gospel choir should be on stage with him. Below are the two latest vintages, and some older ones tasted back in 2010 further below.

2009 Coulée de Serrant:
Pale lemon yellow. Nutty, creamy nose, sweet lilies, marzipan, bananas and a touch of VA. Rich palate, medium acidity, balanced, didn't get a look at the alcohol level, but this felt less alcoholic than the 05. Good length. 90

2008 Coulée de Serrant:
BU5249401 (498,-) Pale lemon yellow. Feels like there is some botrytis, creamy and some vanilla. More subdued marzipan. Rich palate, fresh acidity, lively and elegant, again, feels like a change of style. Long. 91

Straws want to reach high into the sky, they are tied with the sky according to Mr.Joly

2006 Coulée de Serrant:
Golden. Massive nose of oxidation, alcohol and bananas. Lazy acidity overshadowed by alcohol and huge body, again unfresh and massive. At least ten bottles have behaved like this, from different cases, so I don't think it's bottle failure.... 75

2005 Coulée de Serrant;
Pale golden, almonds, tulips, floral, honney, orange blossoms, nuts, marsipan, intens and beautifull. Fresh acidity, elegant texture, almost velvety, so balanced, even with the quite high alcohol of 15%, one barely notice it way back in the finish. I have probably tried two dozen bottles of this, and this one is so different from the others, all of them oxidized in one way or the other, this one is just elegant, smooth and joyfull, with very different aromas. Bananas, melons, honney, pear, if this is how it should be, what a cool wine, but this bottle is, as stated above, nothing like the others. Very long finish. Lacks the minerality I associate with this wine though. 92 (On this one great bottle, the rest are low 80's....)


2002 Coulée de Serrant;
Dark lemon, high fill, no sign of sepage, but soaked cork. Intence minerality, some apples and yellow plums, petroleum, dust, cellar and fresh mushrooms. Medium body, fresh in a weird way, lots of acidity, lots of intencity, some oxidized notes, long aftertaste, different but good, needs decanting. Can be left in the bottle for weeks without much happening. 86

Not as oxidized as 05 and 06, but still, much of the same. Major difference is actually less alcohol, and that always helps.

1996 Coulée de Serrant;
Dark golden, soaked cork. Again this almost insane minerality, pear, stone, leaves, schistes, some mushrooms, actually more youthfull than the 02!. Medium body, extreme intencity, massive and fresh acidity, yellow plums, apples and pears, acidity never gives in, very long finish, but still a bit oxidized........88

So, how much older do we have to go, to get rid of the oxidation.........

1994 Coulée de Serrant;
Golden, cork only half soaked, this one leaps out of the glass, again this massive minerality, honey and melon, grapefruit, flint and schistes, unripe pear and is it botrytis back there? It almost has this Sauternes tropical fruit over this increadible massive minerality, it want's to love you and kill you at the same time, dry and crisp finish, still some oxidation. 92

I like them better and better, mostly because the oxidation and alcohol level both seems to drop with age......

1991 Coulée de Serrant;
Paler than the 94, still golden, again soaked cork, but it's a older bottle. Not as intence as the 94, otherwise more or less exactly the same, more gentle, shorter and easier, more forgiving, but still a bit oxidized, and as a lighter one, it shows better. 87

1990 Coulée de Serrant;
Golden, explosive minerality again, honey melon, fresh pears, honey and nuts, even when decanted for two days, nothing much happens in any direction, but the acidity is lazy, a bit lean body and all the honey don't mach, like the oposite of a fat girl with a bit too small top. And still oxidized.........84

So, trying wines from 16 years from oldest to youngest, all sharing a very similar style, except the lowering of alcohol, and to some exctent, oxidation, but it is still very much a part of the style.

1989 Coulée de Serrant;
Lemon yellow, more mature smelling, dust, leaf, minerals, quite less oxidation than the 90, flint, plaster and lemon, a bit steely and lean, not that long and an acidic finish. 83

1984 Coulée de Serrant;
Golden, a bit closed, some minerals, apples, pears, much fresher than the 89 and 90, massive nuts, probably how a squirrel feels when it has the cheeks filled with hazelnuts, lean, acidic, a bit short finish. Still some oxidation, great balance, but a bit short. Nothing happened during 24 hours open, in the bottle. 86

Seems to get fresher again after two a bit dissapointing bottles of 90 and 89.

1980 Coulée de Serrant;
Deep straw yellow! First light colour, and that at almost 30 years of age! Some smoked meaty notes, flint, hints of melon, more citrus, then oysters. This is really different. Even more, almost massive citrus with more air, fresh and lively minerality, very elegant and great balance, leaner than all the others, and so much fresher and more youthfull, actually has the fat girls 14,5 alcohol, but this one knows how to dress, and looks smart. Very long finish. 90

So. This last one, doesn't have any oxidation at all. Is this more of the style that made Coulee de Serrant world famous? It was an impressive old bottle from a lesser vintage. I preffer this style. Has the style gone more back to its roots? I don't know, I didn't taste them young, but from those two young vintages (and bottles) today, I keep my fingers crossed.