From: France
Varietal: 100% Gamay
For centuries maligned, mistreated, and misunderstood, Gamay was outlawed by Philip the Bold in Burgundy in 1395. Some vignerons rebelled, hiding forbidden Gamay vines among the “noble” Pinot Noir vines. In their honor, they have “released” the deliberately disruptive Gamay, bottled without appellation and without any rules!
How it’s made. Gamay loves the granite/siliceous soils of the vineyards in the hills to the northwest of Lyon in eastern France. This 2018 vintage brought glorious sunshine to the hand-picked grapes, which were picked early to maintain freshness. In the cellar, grapes are vinified using traditional carbonic maceration techniques (where fermentation is started by the weight of berries in the vat, crushing those below) followed by a short cuvasion to keep up the front, juicy fruit characters in this lighter-styled Gamay.
Taste: A soft, bouncy, ripe Gamay. This is a no-fuss wine that is an irresistible fruit bomb packed with amazing primary fruit aromas and delicious soft red berry flavors. A truly gorgeous Gamay!
Pairing: Charcuterie and cheese boards, grilled herb chicken, sausages, lentil dishes, and cajun shrimp. Gamay's mellow fruity flavors make it a rare red wine equally capable of pairing with delicate dishes like fish, and salty, caramelized foods like roasted poultry, and aged cheeses.
