From: Loire Valley, France
Varietal: Gamay

Taste: Stéphane Sérol and wife, Carine, are behind this delightful low ABV Pet-Nat. The Côte Roannaise, within the Loire Valley, is a region planted with a local heirloom clone of Gamay called Gamay St Romain. Produced Méthode Ancestrale, this rosé sparkler only reaches 8% ABV, and don't worry- no evident sweetness shown here. It's playful and delicate, perfect on its own or as an aperitif. This vintage is extra bright, with notes of crunchy cranberry and raspberry that come to the forefront, underscored by Allspice, citrus zest, and pomegranate, leading to a lifted, fresh finish.

Pairing: This gorgeous pet nat rosé is one of our faves for brunch, lunch, pre-dinner, or in place of dessert! It’s just at home next to just about anything. Fried food, curries, white pizza with ricotta and/or mushrooms, jambon-beurre or pâté baguette sandwiches, ham and eggs (go to Le Pichet and order their Oeuf Plat), sausage and polenta snacks, stuffed mushrooms, and sausage rolls (see recipe below!).

Sausage Rolls
By David Tanis

About. Côte Roannaise is an appellation for red and rosé wines made from Gamay. The wines are light in body, low in tannin and very much reliant on their fresh, vibrant fruit flavors. They bear all the hallmarks of classic Gamay vinified through carbonic maceration, and the majority are best consumed within a few years of vintage.
Located at the foothills of the Madeleine Mountains, the 200 hectares of the Côte Roannaise AOP are amongst the original vineyards of the Loire Valley. While geographically and officially part of the Loire, the Côte Roannaise is closer in distance, geology, and winemaking to Beaujolais. (Edited from Wine-Searcher)

“This eastern region, known as "The Volcanic Loire" boasts soils of granite and volcanic basalt that give gamay both minerality and drive. The best producer in this unique, small appellation is Domaine Sérol, led by Stephane Sérol and his wife Carine. They produce a range of distinctive wines marked by elegance, freshness, and, of course, granitic minerality, hence their bottling name of "Eclat de Granit".

Domaine Sérol famously produces a cuvée exclusively for the neighboring Michelin three-star restaurant ‘Troisgros’. The Sérols are great friends of the Troigros family: Michel Troigros co-owns the "Les Blondins" Vineyard with them. The Sérol property dates back to the 17th century and was passed from generation to generation. When Stéphane and Carine took over in 1998, the domaine totaled 12 hectares; with the Sérol/Troisgros partnership, they are now farming 28 hectares and have converted the domaine to organic/biodynamic viticulture.”