Home > Producer Profiles > Loire Profiles > Nicolas Joly & Clos de la Coulée de Serrant

Nicolas Joly and the Clos de la Coulée de Serrant

It was as recently as 2003 that I first visited the proprietors of the Loire's most renowned vineyard, Clos de la Coulée Serrant. It was a short visit to the Chateau de la Roches-aux-Moines, during which I met Nicolas Joly's daughter, Virginie (pictured several years later, right, at the 2009 Renaissance des Appellations tasting in Angers) who had recently returned home after her foreign studies. I tasted the wines, took a walk along the cypress-lined avenue next to the Chateau de la Roches-aux-Moines, and then departed. In the years that have passed since that visit my awareness of the domaine and of the forceful beliefs of its proprietor, Nicolas Joly, have increased significantly, helped along by occasional but certainly not frequent tastings of the wine. What has become apparent to me above all else during these years of contemplation is that there are few estates - in fact I struggle to think of any at all - that have engendered more diverse and more strongly expressed opinion, with regard to both the wines, and the man behind them. As in all things there are shades of grey, but in this argument you can find both ends of the spectrum, black and white, firmly expressed and polar opinions. There some who rave about both Joly's philosophy and the wines, decrying the bottles of old as inadequate, whilst others berate his pseudo-scientific beliefs, accuse him of failure to exploit properly one of France's greatest terroirs, and who wish for a return to the quality wines of the pre-Joly era.

Roche-aux-Moines and Coulée de Serrant: a History

Although the grand Chateau de la Roches-aux-Moines dominates, with its avenue of cypress trees which lead to an ancient tomb (the avenue strangely parallel to the dirt track that actually leads up to the property, just visible over the crest of the hill, left), this seems not to be the family's principal residence. Rather this is a nearby Cistercian monastery which dates back to the 12th Century. It was these monks who were, reputedly, responsible for the planting of the Clos de la Coulée de Serrant, although with ancient vineyards and ancient documents this sort of data is always difficult to verify. During the centuries that followed the land passed through many noble hands, including Jean de Brie, Seigneur de Serrant, and it was also the site of a grand fortress, some scattered and distraught ruins of which still stand today. By the 18th Century it had come into the hands of the Walsh de Serrant family; after their tenure it passed through numerous hands, suffering the affliction of phylloxera towards the end of the 19th Century, as nearly all French vineyards did. The Duc de Tremoïlle was one owner, followed by gentlemen named Colin, Rousseau-Colin and Bougère. From the latter it came to Colonel Cothereau and then a Belgian mariner named De Craecker, who not only acquired Coulée de Serrant but also several plots of the cru Roches-aux-Moines and basic Savennières vineyards. Despite having been reconstituted in the early 20th Century, under Belgian rule the estate was again falling into disuse, and this would not change until it came to the current owners, the Joly family, in 1962. It was a surgeon from Paris named André Joly, and his wife Denise, that made the purchase, more as a country residence than for any interest in viticulture. Of the two it was Denise who took most interest in the vines, aided by advice from close friends the Fournier family, of Chateau Canon.

When recounting the history of any chateau or wine estate, periods of ownership are often expressed as eras, with one such era of family ownership often spanning several generations. Today this estate remains in the ownership of the Joly family, but there is certainly a new era, the beginning of which is marked by the handing over of control from Denise Joly to her son, Nicolas. One of two sons, Joly had carved out a successful career in the financial sector with the Morgan Guaranty Trust, having previously graduated with an MBA from Columbia University. It was in 1976 that he returned to the family estate to help his mother, by which time she had already been widowed. In order to take over the running of the estate he very sensibly first went back to school, studying oenology in Bordeaux for two years. Suitably educated he took up the reins, but it was not until the 1980s that things really took off. The catalyst for the changes that followed was a book on biodynamic agriculture, by Austrian philosopher Rudolf Steiner, which Joly discovered in 1981. Nicolas Joly read the book on a skiing holiday and found it a life-changing experience; within four years he was running his estate on entirely biodynamic principles.

Nicolas Joly & Biodynamic Viticulture

Today, in the early years of the 21st Century, biodynamic viticulture is hardly big news. That is not to lessen the commitment that it requires, nor should we ignore the fine quality of the wines emanating from many biodynamic estates, such as - restricting ourselves to the Loire - Huet, Vacheron, Guy Bossard and many others. But it the 1980s this was novel, and since Joly's early conversion he is regarded by many, dare I say it, as something of a biodynamic guru.

For the uninitiated, biodynamics is essentially an extension of organic viticulture - but it is no small extension. Biodynamics is so much more than simple organic viticulture. Biodynamics recognises that wine is made in the vineyard, not the cellar, and that a vigneron must understand his soil before he can make great wine. Some of the core ideals of biodynamics involve enriching the vineyard and treating vineyard pests using methods that are 'in harmony with the vineyard'. Those that practise biodynamics tell us that the application of intensive agricultural methods to a vineyard plot results in the death of soil micro-organisms, organisms that are necessary for the vitality of the soil and which may have an important influence on the final wine. Followers therefore eschew chemical herbicides, pesticides and fertilisers, although the use of Bordeaux mixture and sulphur is permitted. In addition, the soil may be enriched with composted material, including manure, provided this has been prepared using acceptable methods. This may even be added in homeopathic quantities, having been diluted down many times. Nicolas Joly keeps cattle, including a herd of rare Nantaise as well as some Highland, an ancient and hairy breed with impressive horns, in order to have a ready supply of manure-based fertiliser. Along the same lines, in the winter sheep are let into the vineyard to graze on the cover crops, converting it into manure and thus enriching the soils.

Biodynamic vineyards are just as prone to pests such as red spider mite and other bugs, snails, parasites and so on, as any other vineyard. As chemical pesticides are forbidden, a popular choice of treatment is a plant infusion sprayed on the vines. In fact when I visited the estate in 2003 Nicolas Joly had just returned from collecting plants in the hills, for the purpose of making such vine treatments. Typical infusions used include nettle, camomile and dandelion, to name just a few. As for snails, these are most troublesome during the spring when they would feed on the new shoots, and a portable chicken coop is brought into the vineyard to deal with this scourge. Other pests require more bizarre treatments. Joly's response to an infestation of rabbits was to burn a rabbit skin each year, the time of the burning determined by the alignment of the planets. The rabbits never returned - they obviously knew what was good for them. This treatment reveals one of the more unusual aspects of biodynamics, that is the importance of astrology. This pseudo-science is of certain significance to those that practice biodynamic viticulture. As the sun passes through the various signs of the zodiac adherents to biodynamic principles believe that it has a strong influence on plant growth and health. Water signs (Pisces, for instance) are favourable to vegetative growth, fire signs (Sagittarius, for instance) are favourable to growth of fruit, earth signs (e.g. Capricorn) favour root growth - obviously - and air signs (e.g. Gemini) favour flowers. Consequently the timing of routine vineyard and nursery practises such as planting out, pruning, weeding and so on are tailored to suit. The moon also has an influence on vineyard and cellar practises.

Working the vineyard 'in harmony with nature' is one thing. But some of Joly's beliefs are a little too much for even the most ardent follower of biodynamic principles. Nicolas Joly believes that the shape of the barrel is a strong influence on the developing wine - after all, it does strongly resemble the shape of an egg. His belief in the adverse effects of electrical pollution is another step too far for many. Nevertheless, acknowledging these more unusual aspects of this belief system, it would seem that, whatever the mechanisms, biodynamics works. Most producers move over in steps, committing only a small vineyard plot initially. Impressed by the results - judged by the quality of the final wine from the converted plot - producers soon move over entirely, often within a few years. This is how other well known and long-term converts such as Zind-Humbrecht and Huet came to biodynamics, initial scepticism soon giving way. Other high profile converts include Marcel Deiss, Bize-Leroy, Chapoutier, Domaines Leflaive and Lafon. And there are many more, all holding the necessary certification, with BIODYVIN being one of the best known certifying bodies.

The Vineyards and Wines of Nicolas Joly

Nicolas Joly, today joined by his daughter Virginie, produce three wines from their vineyards, the most significant of which is undoubtedly the Clos de la Coulée de Serrant which lies close to the chateau purchased by André and Denise Joly. First, though, comes the generic Savennières which is today labelled as Les Vieux Clos (or Les Clos Sacrés for the US market), although in the past it was named Becherelle. Virginie Joly tells me that this is sourced from four separate plots of vines, some adjacent to the famous clos, and some closer to Épire. The soils naturally vary across the sites, and may feature schist, quartz and sand. Altogether there are about 12 hectares, the vines are on average between 15 and 20 years old, and the fruit is harvested usually at 30-35 hl/ha. The next step up the ladder is Clos de la Bergerie, which is sourced from the Savennières cru Roches-aux- Moines. This sizeable enclave accounts for 33 hectares of the appellation, and the Joly family own 3.5 hectares, again featuring schist. The vines have an average age between 25 and 30 years, with the youngest just 8 years old, and they are harvested at 25-30 hl/ha.

Finally, at the top of this three-rung ladder, comes the Clos de la Coulée de Serrant. This vineyard lies to the east of the chateau and accounts for 7 hectares. Between it and the chateau there is not only a sizeable chunk of woodland, but also the aforementioned impressive cypress-lined alley and the rather less regal dirt track, the latter of which provides access to the residence. Either side of these thoroughfares are vineyards entitled to the Roches-aux-Moines appellation, of which the lower is illustrated on the right, photographed from beneath the cypress trees (vines on the other side of the avenue and track can be seenin the picture above). The Clos de la Coulée de Serrant is certainly fabled, having reputedly been the subject of an admittedly aborted visit by Louis XIV, who was defeated when the royal coach hit muddy terrain, and the wine was also reputedly enjoyed in Napoleon's court. As if these historical nods weren't sufficient evidence, the wine has also been referenced by Alexandre Dumas and Curnonsky, the latter having ranked it among the top five white wines of France, the others being Yquem, Montrachet, Grillet and Chateau Chalon. Some of the vines date back to Curnonsky's lifetime (1872 - 1956), as the oldest have 80 years under their belt, although the average age is somewhere between 30 and 40 years. The soils are predominantly red schist, the slope steep, and the aspect favourable, all characteristics which contribute to the grandeur of the site. The soils are ploughed by horse, and the vines replaced by massale selection rather than clones, a practise that is common to all the Joly vineyards.

So with fabulous terroir and meticulous viticulture in harmony with nature, why is it that Nicolas Joly incites such passionate and polar opinions? To understand why we should look at published opinions on the wines of the Clos de la Coulée de Serrant, the wines, which to some are exciting and revolutionary, but to others are sad disappointments. For the prosecution we have noted author Jacqueline Friedrich, who has penned one of the most important works regarding the wines of the Loire ever to have made it into print. Jacqueline describes the wines as "...tragic near and not-so-near misses..." and even goes so far to suggest that the root of the problem is that, incredibly, Nicolas Joly doesn't like wine. The problem to which she refers is principally oxidation, a character she identified in the 1990s and 1989s in particular. Admittedly Friedrich's book, A Wine & Food Guide to the Loire (published 1996), is now looking rather dated, and at the time of writing this profile I know she is working hard on the second edition, eagerly awaited by many. Not so dated, however, are the writings of Richard Kelley MW, who has recently asked the question regarding Joly on his Loire website, "Does he actually drink wine, or perhaps more importantly, does he enjoy it?"; again the problem is oxidation, which Kelley has found in many recent vintages. Joly, meanwhile, seems to contest on his website that tasters may be confusing oxidation with maturity (which seems unlikely in youthful samples) and that the wines are sufficiently robust and healthy to drink well and indeed improve for several days once opened.

The answer to these problems may well lie in the cellar, where the wines are fermented in old wood, no more than 5% new each vintage, without thermoregulation so that temperatures rise to between 25 and 30°C. The fermentations result from indigenous yeasts, and many of the wines undergo some malolactic fermentation. Before bottling, there is no fining and no cold stabilisation, cold being the "force of death" according to Joly's literature, a belief which might go some way to explaining his eschewing temperature control during fermentation. It is then frequently racked to encourage contact with oxygen, Joly asserting that "wines produced by biodynamic agriculture don't suffer from oxidation". Each time the wine is racked a little sulphur, apparently a "form of light", is added, around 2 grams. The end result is a wine endowed with all the forces of mysticism, but perhaps also a handsome dose of oxygen and a very low level of free sulphur, which is lightly fined and bottled, ready for discerning customers, distributed complete with instruction sheets for enjoying Joly's wine (including how to differentiate between oxidation and maturity).

An alternative taster might ascertain, of course, that there are no problems with the wines, nor in the cellar. Writing in The New France in 2002, Andrew Jefford comes out in support of the wines, with the latter years of the Nicolas era, rather than the wines made by Denise, being singled out for praise. He wrote "...something happened in the mid-1990s to improve Joly's winemaking enormously....[v]intages of Coulée de Serrant since the mid-1990s are far riper and more allusive than the sometimes disappointing, under-ripe, hit-and-miss wines which preceded them". He goes on to indicate that the 1997, 1998 and 1999 vintages "...are all superb". He would perhaps find support for his position from the now retired Clive Coates, who was no stranger to the Loire, having been an early exponent of the wines of Huet when working as a wine buyer for The Wine Society. When profiling Nicolas Joly in The Vine, Number 223, August 2003, Coates writes of Joly's mentorship of Noël Pinguet as he converted the Vouvray estate to biodynamics. Of the wine he says "...at its best it can be magnificent" and that since 1993, under Nicolas, they are "...more noble, more intensely-flavoured and more complex over the last decade".

Clearly this estate provokes divided opinion, and the only way to judge in this situation is to taste for oneself. The wines can be pricy, although despite this Joly has no trouble selling his wines as demand far outstrips supply, suggesting a loyal fan base somewhere. As a consequence the wines can be difficult to locate in sensible quantities or at prices that facilitate the education of a palate. Indeed, I was further confounded on my visit in 2003 when I was surprised to learn that although they held stock old and new at the chateau for tasting, they did not hold sufficient quantity to sell, not even of the most recent vintage. This is one estate where a self-funded education requires some legwork, and a ready wallet. Despite my eager attempts, however, my experiences here are limited. Putting to one side my opinions on the Savennières and Roches-aux-Moines cuvées for a moment, my opinion on the 2001 Coulée de Serrant was that it was a very good wine, and tasting it at just two years it did not show any sign of oxidation, but more recent published opinions from others suggest gross oxidation; I suspect it may take a little time for such sad characteristics to evolve. And the 2007, tasted very recently, I would place in the same basket as the 2001; it was broad, warm, rich and firm, but at this stage not showing any significant sign of oxidation. Perhaps with such limited experience I should not make any further comment, but I would say one thing. This is reputed to be the Loire's greatest vineyard. In these experiences, however, I have not found the Loire's greatest wines. Maybe Jacqueline Friedrich has it right when she laments the untapped potential of the "magnificence of this privileged site". (14/10/03, last updated 24/2/09)

Contact details:
Address: 49170, Savennières
Telephone: +33 (0) 2 41 72 22 32
Fax: +33 (0) 2 41 72 28 68
Internet: www.coulee-de-serrant.com

The Wines of Nicolas Joly - Tasting Notes

Click to locate stockists.

Nicolas Joly Savennières Les Vieux Clos 2008: Alcohol 14.5%, residual sugar 3.7 g/l. An expressive nose, full of apples and pears, youthful, quite clean, certainly with some style. Rather gentle in terms of its impact on the nose and palate too. It has some structure though, and is perhaps still rather barrel-influenced, showing dried stone fruit with a firm and savoury edge. A lot of substance here. Powerful structure and acidity. This is one for the cellar. From the 2010 Renaissance tasting. 16.5-17+/20 (February 2010)

Nicolas Joly Savennières Roches-aux-Moines Clos de la Bergerie 2008: Alcohol 15.5%, residual sugar 0.8 g/l. Seemingly quite elegant on the nose, more refined than the Vieux Clos, but also less expressive too I think. It has a huge presence in the mouth, but it is all structure and no flattery at present. It is grippy (oak-derived again?) through the middle and into the finish, and is certainly not approachable for drinking any time soon. I find this wine rather difficult to judge at the moment but it could come very good - if it can carry that huge weight of alcohol. Rather warm towards the end. From the 2010 Renaissance tasting. 16.5-17.5+?/20 (February 2010)

Nicolas Joly Clos de la Coulée de Serrant 2008: This is a mere 15%, with 1.0 g/l residual sugar. It is more open and seemingly more accessible on the nose than the Clos de la Bergerie or Les Vieux Clos, which I find curious and surprising, showing a defined, rather rich stone fruit character. Very rounded, honeyed and composed on the palate, with a fine linear presence and plenty of grip again. There is a little heat in the finish here too, but overall it is nicely composed. Once more, though, a wine on which it is difficult to make conclusive comment. From the 2010 Renaissance tasting. 17-17.5+?/20 (February 2010)

Nicolas Joly Savennières Les Vieux Clos 2007: Rather quiet and subtle, faintly honeyed minerals on the nose here. Not very expressive. A gentle style on the palate, very firm, hard structure, and a little spice. Quite some grip underneath it, the fruit remains subtle, and there isn't a generous texture to it either. Very young and bold. Well defined finish though. Good. Tasted at the 2009 Renaissance tasting. 15.5-16+/20 (February 2009)

Nicolas Joly Savennières Roches-aux-Moines Clos de la Bergerie 2007: Certainly an interesting nose here, with honey and vanilla, rather more expressive than Les Vieux Clos. Fairly full and rich style on the palate, with plenty of grip and a broader flavour. Not unattractive, lots of firm acidity, with more evident fruit elements. This should improve with time. Tasted at the 2009 Renaissance tasting. 16-16.5+/20 (February 2009)

Nicolas Joly Clos de la Coulée de Serrant 2007: Virginie Joly describes 2007 as a difficult vintage. The grand vin shows an expressive, broad, minerally, rich but dry honey nose. Tinged with golden fruit. Certainly a step up from the other wines. Rather a warm style, firm in the midpalate, with notes of ash and a hard, youthful, awkwardness. Lots and lots of aggressive grip in the finish. This is certainly one to lay down. No suggestion of oxidation here - at the moment, anyway. Tasted at the 2009 Renaissance tasting. 16.5-17+/20 (February 2009)

Nicolas Joly Savennières Becherelle 2001: Fairly closed on the nose. Quite full bodied, but giving little away on the palate. This will develop into a nice wine over the next year or two. 15.5/20 (August 2003)

Nicolas Joly Clos de la Coulée de Serrant 2001: Again quite closed on the nose. Rich, more structured, fuller on the palate. Like the basic Savennières this wine also needs time. A glimpse of the pleasures to come is found on the finish, which fans out to reveal a rich, warm array of flavours - freshly harvested straw or hay, with a suggestion of honey richness. This bodes very well. 17.5+/20 (August 2003)

Nicolas Joly Clos de la Coulée de Serrant 1998: This has a rich and golden hue in the glass. The nose is remarkably inexpressive at first, but with time it opens up to reveal baked lemon fruit, baked oats, smoke and a fat minerality. My biggest concern as I have alluded above, based on reports of premature deterioration and bottle variation, was that the characteristic aromas of oxidation would spoil this wine, but there wasn't even the slightest suggestion here. Good! The palate is full, broad, firmly composed, and with a tangibly deep minerality, backed up by a texture so solid it is as if barley has been suspended in the wine. The structure is really quite grippy, with good acidity at its core; this is an impressive wine, albeit a rather youthful one that has years to go before showing its true colours I suspect. And it is miles away from the reports of knackered, oxidised bottles that you see elsewhere (although not necessarily in this vintage). I suspect bottle variation can sometimes work in your favour! On day two, 24 hours after opening the wine, there was a light element of oxidation apparent, fleeting and not really distracting. On day three I was unable to reassess as I was out all evening (and night!) at a Krug tasting, but by day four there had been considerable deterioration, with a honeyed sweetness on the nose, like a wine of the Coteaux du Layon, followed by notes of volatility and subtle rubber. And then in the mouth it shows a bone dry palate, very solid and ponderous, with notes of Sherry-like oxidation. This certainly hasn't improved over the four days and so I am not convinced by Joly's arguments, but credit where credit is due - it is holding up fairly well I think. Nevertheless I think this is a wine which, like many others, probably shows its best within a few hours of opening. I have scored it on my early impressions, which were very good indeed, rather than my later thoughts. For label images and more see my Wine of the Week write-up. 18+/20 (June 2009)

Nicolas Joly Savennières Becherelle 1998: A moderately deeply coloured, golden wine. The nose is enticing, with fresh aromas of golden honeycomb and cinder toffee, smoke and gunpowder, minerals and straw. These characteristics carry through onto the palate, which shows a fine mineral vein and a fresh, lively character. It doesn't have the same depth as the grand vin, although I haven't had the chance to compare within this vintage, but although the intensity is perhaps lacking it more than makes up for this with light, delicacy and balance. Most of all it is savoury and it works very well with food. Complex, nuanced and with a broad, slightly bitter grip at the finish. It has length too. This isn't a great vintage for the Loire, and Joly comes in for some serious (perhaps deserved) stick regarding the wines of Clos de la Coulée de Serrant, but I find this particular wine to be really very good indeed. From my 1998 vintage Ten Years On tasting. 17/20 (November 2008)

Nicolas Joly Savennières Becherelle 1998: Moderate depth of colour. A powerful nose, crammed with mineral and cordite character, along with notes of apple, honey, quince and fresh straw. Structured and balanced palate. Good grip between plenty of warm straw and mineral flavour. Shows real balance through the midpalate. Long, classy and displaying some elegance. A touch of toffee richness, and a pleasingly persistent length. 17/20 (June 2004)