l'egrappille G(U)RI 2020

Auvergne, France
⅕ Macerated, ⅘ direct press Gamay d’Auvergne + Gamay d’Beaujolais
ABV: 13.5%

This is a pristine 2020 release from Auvergne star Catherine Dumora that we've been resting since August 2022. 

Catherine Dumora is the most maternal farmer we know.  Her approach to vine management focussed almost exclusively on health and well-being with an emphasis on developing natural resistance with a very limited use of sprays including homoeopathic and herbal applications. 

This vintage is very different from the 2019 G(U)RI. The 2019 was deep, rich and concentrated - a faithful reflection of that warm dry year - while the 2020 is finer, more delicately structured with precise yet restrained fruit and lovely tension. There still exists the tell-tale varietal richness of gamay d'auvergne on the palate making this a wonderful wine to serve at around 11-12C.

In 2020 Catherine directly pressed 4/5 of the fruit, which then macerated with the remaining 1/5 of destemmed berries. Elevage was exclusively in sandstone.

Catherine's 1.5 hectares of old gamay sits on a west facing slope of regionally unique terroir, the typical basalt of the region here giving way to granite, schist and quartz with deposits of calcareous matter.