2015 Domaine Miolanne Volcane Rouge

Region: Côtes D’Auvergne < France
Grapes: Gamay, Pinot Noir
Vineyard/Cellar Stats: Organic farming, volcanic clay-limestone soils; vinified and aged in stainless steel, 20+ year old vines; 12.5% ABV
Winemaker: Laure Cartier and Jean-Baptiste Deroche

Couple Laure and Jean-Baptiste come from a history of organic viticulture and recently took over Domaine Miolanne with an intent to move towards full organics and take the uniquely volcanic terroir of the Auvergne to a new level. Cycling fanatics take note: you might have heard of this obscure and sparsely populated French region – it’s a regular stop on the Tour de France because volcanoes make good hills for bikers to climb. While common in Italy, volcanic soil is a rarity in France, and most of the Auvergne is actually preserved as a regional park because of it. Laure and Jean-Baptiste spotted this immediately and knew their farming and winemaking philosophies would jive. They are working with two grapes – Gamay and Pinot Noir — that are known for expressing soil type, and that volcanic minerality comes through in this wine. Spicy peppery notes, a wild raspberry tang and soft, silky tannins make for a total crowd pleaser.