2023 Clos Roussely Gamay 'Canaille'

100% Gamay, farmed organically and fermented with native yeasts and partial carbonic maceration. Vines are 25-50 years old and the fruit is hand harvested. Aged for six months in stainless steel. Bottled without fining, only a light filtration, and minimal sulphur additions. 12.5% alcohol.  1,600 cases made. 

This delicious, silky, fruity light red is a perfect people pleaser, with or without a light chill.  It pours a bright red color with hints of purple- the partial carbonic maceration lifts the aromatics of this wine, showing perfumey red berry fruit, damp earth, nutmeg and fragrant spicy floral notes. Silky smooth in texture, with juicy acidity and barely-there tannins, it’s perfect with everything from salmon to steak au poivre.

Vincent Roussely is the fourth-generation winemaker at his family’s beautiful 8-hectare vineyard site in the heart of Chenonceaux, in the village of Angé on the Cher River, in the Loire Valley.  The vineyards have been certified organic since 2007.  He even transitioned vineyard work from machine and horse to doing all everything by hand in order to have the least impact on the soil, vines and grapes which he believes greatly improved the quality of the wines.  Planted mainly to Sauvignon Blanc, the soil is a mixture of clay and limestone with pockets of silex where his oldest vineyards are situated, many of which are over 80 years old. The cellar is underground, dug into a tuffeau tunnel underneath the vines, and have been used for vinification of wine for over 250 years. New inox fermentation tanks have been put in place located in carved out recesses in the soft stone. ferments are spontaneous and naturally very slow. Certain parcels are fermented and raised in 400 litre ‘futs’ of french oak, depending on the vintage.