Maison Clusel-Roche is a very small, family-owned, highly regarded estate with 20 acres of vineyards of which 12 acres are in the Côte Rôtie, 2,5 in Condrieu and 5,5 in the Coteaux du Lyonnais (a not well-known appellation between Lyon and Côte Rôtie where plantings are Gamay and the wine is similar to a Beaujolais). Currently, the fourth generation, Guillaume Clusel, is managing the estate together with his parents Gilbert Clusel and Brigitte Roch.
Since 2014 Guillaume also purchases some grapes from certified organic growers he has faith in to broaden his portfolio and to make up for some small vintages, thus converting the “Domaine” to a “Maison”.
Guillaime Clusel: „For as long as we can remember, farming has always been a part of our family history; in the past we specialized in vegetable growing and presently we are winegrowers. Today, we are both enthusiastic farmers and devoted winemakers. Our passion for the soil, the vines, good wine and good food, gives us the strength to keep our terroir alive and develop our family heritage. It leads us to grow and make wine in the most natural way possible, whether on the vertiginous slopes of the Côte Rôtie or on the gentle hillsides of the Coteaux du Lyonnais.”
Clusel-Roche
(http://www.charlesnealselections.com)
Domaine Clusel-Roch started as Domaine Clusel, founded by the René Clusel, who began bottling his wine in 1969. At the time, René Clusel had but 1 hectare of vineyard along with many hectares of apricot trees.
One of his holdings was a tiny parcel on Les Grandes Places, a lieux-dits in the center of the slope above the hamlet of Verenay in northern Ampuis. The vines had been planted by his father Baptiste Clusel before World War II. During the seventies, the wines of Côte Rôtie did not have the reputation that they have now, but René's wines were always appreciated by connoisseurs.
René's son Gilbert decided to continue in his father's winemaking footsteps and completed his enological studies in 1977. The domaine, however, was too small to provide income for two families. Gilbert consequently chose to rent some vineyards and begin producing his own wine, while at the same time helping his father both in the vineyards and in the chai.
Still the vineyard surface was miniscule. At only about .25 hectares, the first vintage in 1980 produced only 1,000 bottles! Little by little, Gilbert rented more land and began to give value to the fifty-year-old vines that had been abandoned while at the same time planting new vines. Finally, in 1986, his holdings reached 2 1/2 hectares, although not all of those vines were yet in production.
The Marriage of Clusel & Roch
When René Clusel retired in 1987, his vines were taken over by Gilbert. For the first time, the parcel in Les Grandes Places was bottled separately. Two years later Domaine Clusel became Domaine Clusel-Roch, incorporating the name of both partners, Gilbert Clusel and his wife Brigitte Roch. This also gave the domaine an identity of its own.
Today the property remains tiny: Just 3.5 hectares in Côte Rôtie and 1/2 hectare in Condrieu. The chai, built in 1992 in Verenay, is attached to their house and just next to the house of René Clusel. Being on the side of the sloped hill of Côte Rôtie allows Gilbert and Brigitte to take advantage of gravity and naturally treat their fruit gently by avoiding the usage of pumps at vinification time.
Going Organic
After ten years of experimenting with their various parcels, the domaine officially converted to organic farming in 2002. The vines themselves are planted on terrasses along Côte Rôtie. Two pieces of wood are tied above the vine helping them to resist the often violent winds.
The vines are cultivated while respecting the land. The work is for the most part manual — no chemical fertilizers are used. Instead the soil is tilled by hand with picks, hoes and hand-plows. Medicinal herbs are used to prevent maladies.
Côte Brun Soils
The Côte Rôtie vines are located in the northern part of the appellation facing southeast over the Rhône River. This area is known as the Côte Brun, as opposed to the south called the Côte Blonde. The soil includes decomposed schist, also known as l'Arzel, containing black and white mica. The black mica has faded to dark brown, which in turn has given it the Côte Brune name.
This schist descends about half a metre. The roots of the vines, however, actually descend several metres deeper. At this depth, the vines pick up certain nutrients that add to the Côte Rôtie taste.
Clusel-Roch Vines
About a third of the Clusel-Roch vineyards have vines more than thirty years old. The rest are of vines less than twenty years old.
To best express the qualities of the vineyard, the domaine only replants grapes from their own selection of Serines (the traditional Syrah plant of Ampuis). For the plantings after 1990, the grapes come from their own nursery on their property and are grafted from their vines in Les Grandes Places. According to Gilbert, these vines are less productive and give more complex aromas than the modern selections. Roughly 4% percent Viognier vines are interspersed among the Syrah.
Harvest & Production
During September, the maturity is analyzed both scientifically and by tasting the actual grapes. The harvest is manual, in small cases with a capacity of 25 kg. An initial selection is performed in the vineyard. When the grapes arrive in the chai, the leaves are removed and partially destemmed. The yield is relatively low — about 35 hl / ha or about half a bottle per vine.
The press is an old vertical press, which is very gentle and helps give the wine additional finesse. The vinification is classic, with punch downs, pump overs and temperature control. This fermentation normally lasts two to three weeks, depending upon the vintage.
The wine is then placed in barrels, with the press juice kept separate until the malolactic fermentation. The barrels have their origin in Burgundy, at Maison Sirugue in Nuit-St.George, with origins in Allier, Nièvre and Bourgogne. About 20% new oak is used each year, the rest in second-, third- and fourth-use oak. The barrels are lightly toasted after three years of air drying. The point is not for the oak to dominate the wine but to marry harmoniously with the final product.
Gilbert and Guilhaume Clusel
Two thirds of the Condrieu is fermented in barrel, while the rest is raised in stainless steel. Like with the Côte Rôtie, no yeasts are added to the must. Instead, only indigenous yeasts are used which further allow the vineyard to express itself.
The élevage lasts two years for the Côte Rôtie, and one year for the Condrieu. The Côte Rôtie is racked four or five times during this time. These racking help to clarify the wine so that it can be bottled without fining or filtration.
Annual production at Domaine Clusel-Roch is about 15,000 bottles a year.
Tasting
We tasted 5 wines.
2017 Clusel-Roch Coteau du Lyonnais Traboules
Vineyard: 3.8 ha in the south of the appellation, near the communes of Millery and Orliénas. The soils are glacial moraines and some granitic areas.
Blend: 100% Gamay, the average age of vines is 30 years old.
Viticulture & Vinifcation: Certified organic. Harvest and sorting is done by hand. The grapes are partially de-stemmed and put into tanks with about one third whole-cluster. Fermentation is carried out by indigenous yeasts. The extraction is very gentle. The wine is aged for 6 months in stainless steel tanks.
2017 Clusel-Roch Coteaux du Lyonnais Galet
Vineyard: 1 ha in La Petite Gallée and Rochipel. The soils are glacial moraines and some granitic areas.
Blend: 100% Gamay, the average age of vines is 40 years old.
Viticulture & Vinifcation: Certified organic. Harvest and sorting is done by hand. The grapes are partially de-stemmed and crushed before being put into tanks. Fermentation is carried out by indigenous yeasts. The extraction is very gentle.The wine is aged for 12 months in 2-3 year old barrels.
2017 Clusel-Roch Rouge Serine Vin de France
Terroir : Les vignes sont situées sur la commune de Chavanay et Millery. les sols sont granitiques . L’exposition est Sud-est. Ces vignes sont relati-vement plates.
Superficie : 0.8 ha
Cépage : Syrah majoritaire
Age des vignes : 30 ans en moyenne
Travail des vignes : Les vignes sont cultivées le plus naturellement possible. La densité est de plus de cinq mille ceps à l’hectare. En hiver, les sols restent naturellement enherbés. Les vignes sont palissées assez haut et taillé en cordons de Royat ou gobelet. Les sols sont travaillés au printemps et en été. Il n’y a pas d’engrais chimiques, mais des fumiers compostés, et les traitements sont très modérés, sans insecticides ni pro-duit chimique de synthèse.
Vinifications : Les vendanges se font à la main. Un tri soigné est effectué à la vigne par les vendangeurs. Arrivés au chai, les raisins sont encuvés par gravité; ils sont partiellement égrappés. Un tiers reste en grappe en-tière. La fermentation est faite avec les levures indigènes. Nous mainte-nons une température modérée pour une extraction tout en douceur. Nous décuvons après deux à trois semaines suivant dégustation.
Elevage : 1 an en fûts.
Production annuelle : environ 3000 bouteilles/an
Garde et apogée :Ils peuvent être bus dès la mise en bouteille, afin de pro-fiter pleinement de leurs arômes de jeunesse, mais peuvent aussi se gar-der quatre ou cinq ans.
Dégustation : Ce sont des vins friands, avec une certaine charpente, un beau nez de fruits noirs et d’épice. Accord mets et vins : un mâchon de charcuterie Lyonnaise, une belle viande grillée, un barbecue, un fromage de chèvre.
2017 Clusel-Roch Saint-Joseph
Terroir : Our Saint-Joseph comes from the northern part of the Saint-Joseph appellation. The slopes are south-east The soil are made of granite, which are very hot and filtering.
Surface area : 0.5 hectares.
Grape variety : 100 % Syrah
Age of vines : 30 years.
Work on the vines : We tend and cultivate our vines in the most natural way possible. The planting density is six thousand vine stocks per hectare. In the winter, the land is left untouched and grass grows naturally. The soils are farmed in the spring and the summer. Instead of using chemical fertilisers, it’s used composted manure. The vines are treated moderately.
Winemaking : The grape harvest is done manually using small containers. The grapes are carefully chosen and picked by the harvesters. When the crop arrives at the wine cellar the grapes are then vatted by gravity and are partially destemmed. The fermentation process takes place with natural yeasts. During the winemaking process a series of procedures take place: pigeages which is punching of the cap and remontages which is pumping over the fermenting wine from the bottom of the cask back to the top. A moderate temperature is maintained ensuring a gentle extraction of aromas and tannins. Depending on the wine tasting results, devatting takes place after 3 to 4 weeks.
Ageing : 1 year in oak barrels (volume of the barrel is 228 litres)
Annual production : approximately 2000 bottles a year.
Ageing potential : The wines can be drunk early on, during the year after bottling, to appreciate the fresh emerging aromas or can be kept a few years.
Wine tasting : Fine, elegant wines revealing quite a strong tannin structure. Flavours of red and black fruits, spices.
Food and wine pairing : charcuterie of the Pilat area, good quality grilled meat, a leg of lamb.
2016 Clusel-Roch Côte-Rôtie Les Schistes
Wine-searcher average price in US$: 51
Vineyard: 3.5 ha in the lieu-dits of “Viallière”, “Champon”, and “le Plomb.” The soils are ferrous mica schist.
Blend: Over 95% Syrah from selection massale and around 5% Viognier that is co-planted. The average vine age is 20 years old.
Viticulture & Vinification: Certified organic—harvest and sorting is done by hand. Grapes are put into tank by gravity, partially de-stemmed, and fermented with their indigenous yeasts. The wine is aged for 2 years in oak barrels (15% new) with no filtration before bottling.
Rhône Valley Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France (Already Released and Forthcoming Postings)
Rhône Valley Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France
Rhône Valley Tour December 2017: From Lyon to Avignon - Wine, Food, Culture, History
Understanding the Wines of the Rhône Valley: The Classification - AOC/ Vin de Pay/ Vin de France
The Rhône Wine Region in Southern France and its Wines: History, Classification, Northern and Southern Rhône
Cellar Tasting, including from Barrel, at Domaine Éric Texier in Charney, with Laurence Texier - Rhône Valley Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France
Dinner at Le Bouchon des Filles in Lyon - Rhône Valley Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France
Dinner at a Bouchon - Chez Paul - in Lyon: Schiller’s Favorite Bouchons in Lyon, France
Cellar Tour, Tasting and Vineyard Drive at E. Guigal in Ampuis, Côte Rôtie, Northern Rhône - Rhône Valley Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France
Tasting at Maison Clusel-Roche in Ampuis, Côte Rôtie, Northern Rhône
Tasting at Domaine Georges Vernay in Condrieu, Northern Rhône, with Paul Ansellem-Vernay
Dinner with Matching Wines at Restaurant Beau Rivage in Condrieu, Northern Rhône
Cellar Tour and Tasting at Maison Delas-Frères in Saint Jean de Muzols – Saint Joseph, Northern Rhône, with Director Bruno Gonnet
Lunch at Restaurant La Grappe d’Or in Saint-Péray, Northern Rhône
Tasting at Domaine Jean Luc Colombo in Cornas, Northern Rhône
Vineyard Walk and Tasting at Paul Jaboulet Aîné in Tain-l’Hermitage, Hermitage, Northern Rhône
Cellar Tasting at Domaine Laurent Habrard in Gervans, Crozes-Hermitage, Northern Rhône, with Owner/ and Winemaker Laurent Habrad
Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine Combier in Pont de l’Isère, Crozes-Hermitage, Northern Rhône, with Owner/ Winemaker Laurent Combier
Lunch at La Grand Table de Michel Chabran, 1 Star Michelin, in Pont d l’Isère
Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine Les Bruyères in Beaumont-Monteux, Northern Rhône, with Owner/ Winemaker David Reynaud
Winemaker Dinner with David Reynaud, Domaine les Bruyeres, Crozes-Hermitage in the Rhone Valley, at Chef Bart Vandaele's BToo in Washington DC, USA/ France
Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine La Martinelle in Lafare, Ventoux, Southern Rhône, with Owner/ Winemaker Corinna Kruse Faravel
Lunch at Restaurant Le Mesclun in Séguret, Southern Rhône
Cellar Tour and Tasting, including from Barrel, at Domaine Marcel Richaud in Cairanne, Southern Rhône, with Owner/ Winemaker Claire Richaud
Tasting at Domaine de Cabasse, Séguret, Southern Rhône, with Owner/ Winemaker Benoit Baudry
Wine Dinner at Restaurant Hôtel Domaine de Cabasse, Séguret, Southern Rhône
Lunch at Restaurant Le Dolium in Beaumes-de Venise, Southern Rhône
Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting of Wine and Olive Oil at Mas Saint Berthe, Les Baux de Provence, Southern Rhône, with Winemaker Christian Nief
Dinner at Restaurant Benvengudo, Les Baux de Provence, Southern Rhône
Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine du Pegau in Châteauneuf du Pape, with Owner/ Winemaker Laurence Féraud and Cellar Master Andreas Lenzenwöger
At Pont du Gard: Lunch at Restaurant Les Terrasses
Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine de la Mordorée, Tavel, Southern Rhône, with Owner Ambre Delorme
Cellar tour and tasting at Domaine La Bastide Saint Dominique in Courthézon, Châteauneuf du Pape, with Owner Véronique Bonnet and Owner/ Winemaker Eric Bonnet
Tasting at the Caveau of the Perrin Family in Châteauneuf du Pape
Cellar Tour and Tasting at Château la Nerthe, Châteauneuf du Pape
Wine-pairing dinner at Restaurant Château des Fines Roches, with Chef Hugo Loridan-Fombonnet
New Year’s Eve at Château des Fines Roches in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, France
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