Tag Archives: gamay

Wine of the Day: Philippe Pacalet Moulin a Vent 9-8-16

Philippe Pacalet Moulin A Vent, Beaujolais, France 2014 750ML ($59.95) Buy Now $49 special

Never patient when it comes to Beaujolais, I drank Pacalet’s intrepid Moulin-a-Vent the very night it arrived at our shop. A simple salmon dish served as accompaniment, and I poured some out into a decanter in order to contrast normal and accelerated evolution of the wine as it aerated. Cherry aromas soared out of the glass, with an immediate flavor profile of goji berries, plum, Bing cherries, and a touch of leather. The fruit bears this intriguing crunchiness, with the acid mingling but never overarching beyond the wine’s overall feel. There is a playful energy this Beaujolais, which went lovely with the salmon and danced between being a little showy and a bit mellow over the course of four hours.… Read the rest

Wine of the Day: Belle Pente Gamay Noir 2014 6-5-16

Belle Pente Gamay Noir, Belle Pente Vineyard, Yamhill Carloton 2014 750ML ($27.95) Buy Now: $24 special

Those who watch these pages closely know of affinity for Gamay. I love it all – from the ten Crus of Beaujolais and the Loire to the Valle d’Aoste, Upstate New York and – of course! – our home terrain of Oregon’s Willamette Valley. In turn, I nearly leapt for joy when Brian from Belle Pente swung by to taste the new releases and a Gamay came out of the bag.

Floral aromas and red-violet fruits leapt from the glass; the wine registers as a little on the light-to-medium side of the spectrum. Think of the structure of a Moulin-a-Vent with the fruit n’ flower attributes of Juliénas – broad on the palate, with ample spice, wild flowers, and red fruit on offer.

… Read the rest

Wine of the Day: Brick House Vineyards Gamay Noir 2014 5-20-2016

Brick House Vineyards Gamay Noir, Ribbon Ridge 2014 ($31.95) Buy Now: $26.60 special

Our hometown take on Beaujolais – bright and peppy, with wild floral elements, strawberry-laced fruit flavors, and a touch of licorice and spice. As seductive as Morgon, aromatic as Fleurie, and structured yet mysterious as Moulin-a-Vent. Brick House are the real deal, and their ‘Gamay Noir au Jus Blanc’ is a picture-perfect postcard from beautiful vineyard a mere 25 miles from our shop. – Tyler

Grapelive 92+ points “….I think my favorite Brick House was the new 2014 Gamay Noir, it really stood out and reminds me of 2009 Cru Beaujolais, it has a Cote de Brouilly feel and wonderful structure to go with expressive and ripe dark fruits… The pure Gamay Noir character shines through on the nose and palate with blackberry, a mix of floral and spice, cherry, strawberry and succulent currant as well as a hint of flinty stones, minty herb, walnut oil and plum/peach flesh.… Read the rest

Wine of the Day: Patrick Bottex Bugey-Cerdon 3-24-16

Patrick Bottex Bugey Cerdon La Cueille Sparkling Rose, Savoie, France NV 750ML ($21.95) Buy Now: $14 special
Case-12 Patrick Bottex Bugey Cerdon La Cueille Sparkling Rose, Savoie, France NV 750ML ($249.95) Buy Now: $149 special (that’s only $12.42/bottle!)

The Bugey region of France has hosted winemaking since Roman times, although it took until 2009 for it to receive AOC status. This wine hails from La Cueille, a small medieval hamlet on the high altitude limestone-rich hills surrounding the main village. Patrick and Catherine Bottex have farmed the area since 1991, producing small quantities of this unique style of sparkling wine. The wine was ‘discovered’ by importer Kermit Lynch when the well-known Beaujolais producer Marcel Lapierre opened a bottle at a party.… Read the rest