Varietal
Black Gamay (Gamay Noir) with white juice.
Tasting notes
Colour: Intense ruby colour.
Nose: Fine aromas of wild berries.
Palate: Beautiful balance between body and aromatic richness.
Food and wine pairing
Enjoy with lamb, fish or grilled scallops, fresh tofu, cold meats, stews in a light sauce, kidneys, pizzas, barbecues, light soups and Auvergne blue cheese.
Serving suggestions
Serve at a temperature of 12 to 14°C.
Ageing potential
Drink young to take full advantage of its strong aromatic intensity (ideal age: 1 to 3 years).
Origins
A regional appellation harvested in the central part of the vineyard, between Mâcon and Villefranche-sur-Saône, covering 4,209 hectares. The vines are mainly located around the Crus on steep terrain composed of granite and volcano-sedimentary rock, sometimes reaching slopes of 50%, with an ideal East/South-East exposure.
The selected plots are located at an altitude of 300 metres on the hillsides and plateaux of the communes of Montmelas, Saint-Etienne-la-Varenne, Lantignié and Blacé. The soils are granitic, schistose and shallow.
These wines have a more developed structure and greater complexity than Beaujolais appellation wines.
Vinification and maturing
Harvested by hand. Traditional Beaujolais vinification in stainless steel vats: semi-carbonic maceration for 12 to 15 days to ensure good extraction, with temperatures maintained at 22-25°C to protect and preserve all the fruit of the Gamay grape. Ageing in vats.
Vintage : 2022
Rainfall in June varied greatly from one area to another. In the south of Beaujolais, where most of the Chardonnays are grown, there was little rain, unlike in the north, where the crus are grown. The hot weather in July and August hastened the ripening of the Gamay grapes. The vintage was marked by great heterogeneity between plots. Some grapes could not withstand the extreme conditions and lost a lot of juice, while others held up superbly. Several factors explain these differences: the very draining soil, exposure, age and vine yield. There was little difference between the early and late ripening areas.
Harvesting took place between 23 August and 10 September. Volumes were down throughout the appellation, but quality was up. This year, we opted for de-stemming with long maceration periods to bring out the elegance of the vintage. Of course, we still use our traditional semi-carbonic vinification with whole grapes to extract the aromatic finesse of the Gamay grapes, as well as some warm pre-fermentation maceration to extract as much colour as possible from the grapes that suffered most from the drought.
The wines are beautifully concentrated and full-bodied on the palate. The tannins are very present. Tasting the wines is a real pleasure. The nose and palate reveal aromas of raspberry liqueur, cherry, the smoothness of a blueberry cream, as well as hints of violets, dark chocolate and even pear.