It's not laziness, I assure you, that today's email is similar in message to the one I sent last week about the Nervi Gattinara. It happened that way because this is another example of a highly-anticipated new release from a producer whose wines have become staples here at MCF.
This time last year, I was touting the awesomely age-worthy 2014s from Beaujolais, and today marks my first offer for the also-compelling, though very different, 2015 vintage.
Where 2014 was structured and focused, with lots of depth locked tightly within the backbone, the 2015 are richer and rounder, with the structure hidden inside the lusher fruit. 2015's closest comparison would be with 2009, the vintage that put top-tier Beaujolais on the map for many people.
There might not be a more fiercely structured wine from the region than Roilette's Cuvée Tardive. It's one that you always should give some serious cellar time to. As a matter of fact, I've checked in on the 2010 and 2011 lately and they're still not even close if you ask me. Granted, these were from magnum, but still, this is a wine that, in most vintages, will live to see its tenth birthday without much issue.
If you do a quick perusal of tasting notes for some medium-aged (early aughts) vintages of Cuvée Tardive on Cellar Tracker, you'll see a lot of comments that all basically translate to 'this was amazing, but still needs time'.
I can't think of a better producer to kick off the 2015 Beaujolais with than Clos de la Roilette and today I'm offering both the Cuvée Tardive and the fabulous, slightly-friendlier, but no less serious, Fleurie AC.
You'll be tempted to drink both of these wines in the near-term because they are going to have a lot more up-front fruit than Roilette typically shows. However, if you have the self-control to give the Fleurie 3-5 years and Cuvée Tardive a good 5-7+, you'll be rewarded with the essence of great Beaujolais.
**This is a Pre-Arrival offer. The AC Fleurie arrives next week, the Cuvée Tardive in all formats will arrive in late July.
