2022-C Domaine Les Gryphees Les Balmes Cuvée Centenaire Vieilles Vignes, Beaujolais, France (750ml)   

About the Icons
A Monthly Wine Club Selection
Pierre Durdilly and his wife, Cécile, have been cra–ting serious Gamay in the village of Le Bois-d'Oingt at the southern end of Beaujolais, France since 1973. Their son, Guillaume, took over the winemaking in 2007 and began expanding their vineyard holdings; seeking out older-vine, cru vineyards that were abandoned and bringing them back to the great-ness of which they are capable. Today, they farm about thirty-five acres of vineyards throughout Beaujolais. Domaine Les Gryphées is named for the fossilized seashells that crunch underfoot as one walks through the vineyards. This unique terroir, with its mineral complexity, sets its wines apart from other more rustic bottlings from the region.

100% Gamay sourced from 90-100+-year-old, sustainably farmed vines from Les Balmes—or “the slopes” in the local dialect—a steeply graded vineyard that was planted in 1920, that produces a handful of bunches each year. The soils are a mix of limestone, clay and pierres dorées—the mineral-rich, golden chalk that characterizes much of Beaujolais. The grapes were hand-harvested and whole-cluster fermented by indigenous yeasts in stainless-steel tanks. The resulting wine was then aged in older foudres and was bottled unfined and unfiltered.

Deep ruby with garnet flashes. Aromas of red and purple fruits mingled with mineral notes. The palate shows waves of crunchy red fruits; currants, cherries and plum, layered over so–t, nicely polished tannins. Medium-bodied and nicely balanced, with a so–tly tapered finish. This beautiful old vines Gamay is the perfect wine for your Thanksgiving table and a wide array of fall fare.