La Madone Gamay Sur Volcan
Côtes du Forez > Massif Central > FR
Gamay, 2022
Ignore the Papyrus font on the label. Vigneron Gilles Bonnefoy has been stewarding this site for over 25 years, and oversaw first organic, then biodynamic conversion in 2009. SW of Beaujolais in the Côtes du Forez where the Gamay grape finds its claim to fame, here we find soils linked to a geological fault when the Alps were pushed up during the tertiary era. This special terroir reflects the potential of basalts from ancient volcanoes, mineral rich granitic clay, and rare migmatite bursting with black mica; Gamay being an exquisite instrument by which to play this volcanic soil symphony.
Côtes du Forez > Massif Central > FR
Gamay, 2022
Ignore the Papyrus font on the label. Vigneron Gilles Bonnefoy has been stewarding this site for over 25 years, and oversaw first organic, then biodynamic conversion in 2009. SW of Beaujolais in the Côtes du Forez where the Gamay grape finds its claim to fame, here we find soils linked to a geological fault when the Alps were pushed up during the tertiary era. This special terroir reflects the potential of basalts from ancient volcanoes, mineral rich granitic clay, and rare migmatite bursting with black mica; Gamay being an exquisite instrument by which to play this volcanic soil symphony.
Côtes du Forez > Massif Central > FR
Gamay, 2022
Ignore the Papyrus font on the label. Vigneron Gilles Bonnefoy has been stewarding this site for over 25 years, and oversaw first organic, then biodynamic conversion in 2009. SW of Beaujolais in the Côtes du Forez where the Gamay grape finds its claim to fame, here we find soils linked to a geological fault when the Alps were pushed up during the tertiary era. This special terroir reflects the potential of basalts from ancient volcanoes, mineral rich granitic clay, and rare migmatite bursting with black mica; Gamay being an exquisite instrument by which to play this volcanic soil symphony.
Blend: 100% Gamay
ABV: 12%
The Story: Vines on Gilles Bonnefoy’s estate are 15 to 30 years old. He harvests all by hand, incredibly low yields, and vinifies each plot separately in order to allow the different facets of the soils to express themselves. The Gamay Sur Volcan is a cuvée of 50% basalt and 50% clay-granite, and you can almost taste the minerals as they cake around the edges of your mouth with this wine. After an 80% destemming, Gilles employs the pied de cuve method which jumpstarts the fermentation using the indigenous yeasts, lowering the risk of something going awry. A rather short fermentation of 9 days completes in stainless steel where the wine is aged for 4 months before bottling unfined and unfiltered with minimal sulfur added.
Personality: All the potential of this terroir, combining the delicious and fruity aspect of the Gamay grape variety with the mineral characteristics of volcanic soil gives a rocky, peppery, and mineral vibrancy to the succulent, smooth, wild strawberry, plum and blackberry fruit. The tannin level is subterranean, the pleasure factor is eruptive.
Harmony: You can hardly go wrong with cured, smoked and cold meats, rillettes and patés, or with roast root and Mediterranean vegetables or pumpkin. It would also be good with tuna steaks and pulled pork. Because of its low tannin, Gamay is one of those varietals that works with just about anything. A slight chill is recommended on this babe.