Domaine Nicolas Joly - Coulée-de-Serrant 2014

With earthy, infused notes of fresh herbs, hay, and white flowers, this slender Chenin appears austere at this stage. Restrained, focused on its bitter notes, it stands out for its nimble texture and a depth that will unfold over the years. Patience.

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 to the ranks of 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 an essential estate.

With a beautiful, deep golden color, the 2014 “Coulée” presents itself in its classic style—a sign of the over-ripeness sought by the Jolys, with grapes affected 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 and tender attack gives way to a very open palate (much more so than the 2013 at this stage), powerful, dense, and warm, supported by a light smoky oak 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.

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 monopole 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 joined 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 is strictly avoided, as it would mask the terroir; instead, 500-liter barrels are used. And as little intervention as possible.

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 is now at the pinnacle of quality for its terroir—a schist-based terroir that gives the wine length, precision, and subtle brilliance. The wines need time and, above all, aeration.

A touch of residual sugar does nothing to diminish the briny intensity of the bitter notes: this wine offers 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.

The exceptional Coulée de Serrant vineyard stretches along the edge of a schist cliff that drops straight into the Loire River, near Angers. The nature of the site 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 (the extent of which varies by vintage) lends these extraordinary whites a baroque complexity of aromas and a singular richness. 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—not too cold, in other words. They’re even served at room temperature during tastings at the estate!