Clos De La Roilette, Gamay "Cuvée Christie" Fleurie, Beaujolais, France 2024

100% Gamay. "Cuvée Christie" comes from two parcels totaling 3 hectares near the village of Fleurie. They are owned by the Coudert family but not part of the original Clos de la Roilette estate vineyard, which is notable mainly because the soils are more typical of Fleurie, with more granite vs. those of the Clos. The vines are 30-40 years old. As for the estate vineyard, the farming is sustainable and all vineyard work is by hand; the wines are made identically as well.

Vinification is traditional, semi-carbonic Beaujolais style. The whole clusters are harvested by hand and fermented spontaneously with native yeasts in open-top concrete tanks. Maceration lasts about 10 days (shortest of all of their Fleuries), with a submerged cap rather than punchdowns. The wine is aged in large oak foudres from 80 to 100 years old for 9 months before bottling. Sulfur use is quite minimal.

Note that the label differs from the classic Clos de la Roilette wines and features the Coudert family name instead. The wine is named for Alain Coudert's daughter Christie (originally it was called "Christal", a playful combination of both kids' names, Christie and Alexis... but a well-known Champagne house sued over the use of the name).

The Clos de la Roilette, a lieu-dit in the village of Fleurie, covers nine hectares of one of the best slopes in the Beaujolais Crus. The clos has an eastern exposure, borders the Moulin-à-Vent  appellation, and produces wines that are beautiful when young and have the capacity to age 5-10 years, depending on the vintage.