Domaine Nicolas Joly - Coulée-de-Serrant 2014
95+/100
Robert Parker
18/20
RVF
2*Étoiles
Hachette
16/20
Bettane & Desseauve
“A touch of residual sugar does nothing to diminish the briny intensity of the bitter notes: a spicy profile with a slender structure in this wine, featuring notes of kumquat, which seems to have gained in serenity and refinement, yet remains austere and destined for glorious aging. ” (The Guide to the Best Wines of France 2017 – RVF) A true flagship of the estate, an appellation in its own right, this is an unmissable cuvée!
Buy your Coulée de Serrant wines at the best price in a private sale!
Starting at €99 on your first order
Eye
beautiful golden-yellow dress
Nose
Elegant, with a complex bouquet of floral scents and aromas of white and yellow fruits, citrus, and hints of honey
Palate
very expressive, with beautiful texture, very long, graceful, and full of elegance
Serve
decant at 14°C
Open
Note: Let it settle for at least 3 hours in advance.
Drink from
2017
Drink before
2035
Food and Wine Pairings
Enjoy it with pike or zander in a beurre blanc sauce, chicken à l’angevine, lobster in sauce, foie gras with gingerbread, roasted quail with apricots, or a very dry goat cheese...
Bettane & Desseauve
Wine rated (2017 guide) 16/20 (Very good wine)
Rated 3* Stars (A high-quality product that serves as a benchmark in its sector)
About the wine:
With earthy notes infused with fresh herbs, hay, and white flowers, this slender Chenin appears austere at this stage. Reserved, focused on its bitter notes, it stands out for its nimble texture and a depth that will unfold over the years. Patience.
About the estate:
The Coulée de Serrant wine estate is a place where life flourishes. Nicolas Joly, a pioneer of biodynamics, has made his wine a brand recognized around the world. He can also count on the vision of his daughter, Virginie, to continue elevating this estate among the very best. Four hectares in Savennières and four hectares in Roche-Aux-Moines—a vineyard grazed by sheep, pecked at by chickens, and tended by hand, in harmony with nature. Observation, experimentation, exemplary viticulture, and a must-visit estate.
Guide Hachette des vins
Wine rated (2017 guide) 2** stars (Remarkable wine)
Rated estate (2025 guide) Award-winning wines (This producer's wines regularly receive awards from the guide)
About the wine:
With a beautiful, deep golden color, the 2014 “Coulée” presents itself in its classic hue—a sign of the over-ripeness sought by the Joly family, with grapes marked by botrytis. On the nose, after a long period of aeration (always necessary for this wine), it displays remarkable and evolving complexity: yellow plum, butter, honey, then verbena, fresh grass, a hint of mint, and cold stone… A soft, tender attack gives way to a very open palate (far more so than the 2013 at this stage), powerful, dense, and warm, supported by a light, smoky oakiness and that incomparable verticality with terroir-driven accents that seem to plunge us into the very center of the earth. A wine that leaves no one indifferent, as always, still holding back due to its youth, and one that only long aging will fully reveal.
About the estate:
This venerable 7-hectare vineyard, planted with old Chenin vines clinging to schist-covered hillsides and founded by the Cistercians in 1130, is one of the few single-estate appellations in the French wine region. Bolstered over the centuries by illustrious and crowned connoisseurs, its reputation has taken on an international dimension since Nicolas Joly, the French “pope” of biodynamics, took the helm, now assisted by his daughter Virginie. The wine derives its original and unique character from grapes harvested when overripe—or even botrytized—in four or five passes. In the cellar, new oak—which would mask the terroir—is strictly avoided in favor of 500-liter barrels. And as little intervention as possible.
Guide des Vins Gault & Millau
Rated Category: Recommended (Recommended)
About the estate:
Nicolas Joly is now joined by his daughter, Virginie. Without taking anything away from his father’s legacy, we must admit that the wines have become more precise and delicate in recent years. La Coulée de Serrant has thus reached the pinnacle of quality for its terroir—a schist-based terroir that imparts length, precision, and subtle brilliance to the wine. These wines need time and, above all, aeration.
Robert Parker - Wine Advocate
Wine rated (2016 guide) 95+/100 (Extraordinary wine)
RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France
Wine rated (2017 guide) 18/20 (Great wine)
Rated estate (2026 guide): 2*Stars (These exceptional estates, often boasting fabulous terroirs, are must-haves that, thanks to the consistency and excellence of their wines, deserve a place in the cellars of discerning wine lovers)
About the wine:
A touch of residual sugar does nothing to diminish the briny intensity of the bitter notes: this wine features a spicy profile with a slender structure and hints of kumquat; it seems to have gained in serenity and refinement, yet remains austere and destined for glorious aging.
About the estate:
The exceptional vineyard of La Coulée de Serrant stretches along the edge of a schist cliff that drops straight into the Loire River, near Angers. The nature of the terroir and the quality of its exposure have set it apart for centuries. Restored by Denise Joly in the 1960s, the estate was taken over by her son, Nicolas. This brilliant innovator is a staunch advocate of biodynamic farming, which he has practiced at La Coulée de Serrant since 1981. A portion of botrytized grapes (to a greater or lesser extent depending on the vintage) lends these extraordinary whites a baroque complexity of aromas and a singular fullness. Nicolas Joly’s daughter, Virginie, is now in charge of the estate. Some wines, such as the 2016 or 2019 vintages, can be flamboyant, shaped by an impressive concentration of dry extract. Others, such as the 2020, lack precision, which leaves us perplexed. These wines require extended aeration and a serving temperature of around 12 degrees—so not too cold. They’re even served at room temperature during tastings at the estate!