What is it?
Fleurie is an appellation in France. In Fleurie, they only grow the Gamay Noir grape.
Gamay Noir is a relative of Pinot Noir. It is recognized for producing light, food-friendly wines with earthy, red-toned flavours very similar to Pinot Noir.
Who makes it?
Clos de la Roilette (est. ??? sometime in the early 1900s) is the finest quality producer from the appellation of Fleurie.
The story of this wine is rather famous in the area:
In the 1920s, wine maps were redrawn and the Fleurie appellation was first created. The original landowner was infuriated for during the redraw he had lost the more prestigious Moulin-à-Vent appellation under which he had previously been classified. In protest, he created a label using a photograph of his horse Roilette and used the name Clos de la Roilette without mentioning the new appellation of Fleurie. While the current label does mention the name of the appellation, this wine is often best known as "that delicious wine with the Horse on the label."
Where does it come from?
It comes from the village of Fleurie withinin the region of Beaujolais in eastern France about an hour drive north of Lyon.
What does it taste like?
This is a lighter bodied wine with aromas of cherry and raspberry backed by savory nuances of wood smoke, leather, mushroom, and forest floor. There is grainy and fine food-ready tannins and an overall quenching juiciness to the entire profile.
Is it Classic?
Beaujolais is a classic region of France. Its style has really seen a profound upswing over the last number of years. It used to be scoffed at as the poor man’s Pinot Noir. Now, it’s a fighter and offers insanely more value than all French Pinot Noir.
What should I eat with it?
Duck, game, mushroom, and other woodland-y things. 13% abv! Keepin' it low. Celebrate good times.
Sommelier says:
“Oh that horse! A seal of exceptional quality. This domaine is incredible. They make Gamay Noir and they kill it. One of the best. Let’s be honest, really incredible Burgundy is now officially inaccessible. It’s so expensive. Demand has never been higher and quantities are way down. Meanwhile, you can pick up this wine at virtually everyday drinking price and get to experience a very Burgundian-esque example of real, authentic wine. I would bet that this wine will begin to creep steadily up in price and become more difficult to find as the mania for Burgundy will creep southward to its next target – A-list, Blue-Chip Beaujolais. This would be at the top of that list.” ~ JY