Vaille que Vaille
Pierre Bourlier (Ardèche)
Gamay • 2021
From 60-year-old Gamay vines planted on sandy, granitic soils just a stone’s throw from the appellation lines of northern Rhone’s Saint Joseph, Pierre first macerates his fruit as whole bunches for one week before painstakingly de-stemming everything for an additional two weeks of maceration. After pressing, the wine is moved into small amphoras where it rests for about a year before bottling. This move to amphora élevage has resulted in a sort of fine-tuning, as if to sand down the rustic edges and bring a more polished charm to this wonderfully detailed cuvée.
