GAMAY NOIR
COTEAUX BOURGUIGNONS 2023
Grape varietal
100% Gamay Noir with white juice.
Tasting notes
Colour: Ruby red with light violet tinges.
Nose: Fresh intensity, one notices aromas of small red fruit like strawberry and blackberry with a light vanilla note.
Palate: Structured wine, both fruity and sweet spicy. The tannins are present yet are well melted into the wine’s complexity. A toasted taste is present on the finish giving excellent length.
Serving suggestions
Serve ideally at around 15-16°C. (60°F.) as an aperitif and at 17-19°C. (66°F.) with food.
Food and wine pairing
The perfect match with delicatessen, charcuterie, red meats and cheese.
Ageing potential
Ready to drink now, it can be kept 2 to 3 years.
Terroir
Region: South Burgundy, Beaujolais area. Mainly from Saint-Julien village.
Soil type: Schistous Granite.
Age of the vines: 45 years.
Vinification and maturing
The grapes are sorted and destemmed for 30% of the cuvée. Maceration lasts approximately 15 days during which pumping over with oxygenation at regular intervals. Temperatures are controlled and maintained at 25-28°C. (77-82°F.). After the pressing, the temperatures are lowered in order to preserve the fruit aromas.
The wine is then transferred to stainless steel vats to keep maximum fruit flavours. Malo-lactic fermentation is 100% made to enable the wine to soften and prepare for bottling.
Vintage : 2023
The first harvest began on September 4th. Despite a period of scorching heat, the grapes are superb, promising an exceptional vintage.
The intense heat at the end of August accelerated the maturation of our Gamay. This vintage is characterized by great heterogeneity between the plots. Some struggled with the extreme conditions, losing a lot of juice, while others resisted admirably. Several factors explain these variations: soil type, exposure, vine age, and yield. The differences between early and late-ripening zones are minimal, reflected in the variability of the analytical data from one cuvée to another, with potential alcohol levels ranging from 12° to 14°. Although we anticipated a bountiful harvest in the spring, we are seeing a significant reduction in volumes. The berries have thick skins and reveal aromas of raspberry liqueur, cherry, as well as notes of violet, dark chocolate, and even pear!
The musts have a high sugar concentration and marked acidity. This year, we favored destemming to prolong the maceration of our Gamays. In addition to the traditional whole cluster semi-carbonic maceration, we opted for hot pre-fermentation maceration to maximize color extraction from the grapes most affected by the drought.
