2014 Chahut e Prodigues ‘La Mule’ Gamay

Region: Touraine < Loire Valley < France
Grapes: Gamay
Vineyard/Cellar Stats: Biodynamic farming; 25-30 year-old vines; clay and limestone for Gamay, carbonic maceration for 2-3 weeks, without racking or pumping, then aged for 8-10 months in tank; bottled unfined/unfiltered with 2 ppm SO2; 12.5% ABV
Winemaker: Grégory Leclerc

A few months ago, we featured another of Grégory Leclerc’s cuvees, the Groslocaux, which goes down as one of our favorite wines of the year, thus far. So, we’re super excited to get our hands on another of his wines, this organic, carbonic-maceration Gamay that he calls La Mule. Gregory, who has his Master’s in History and worked desk jobs for years, turned to wine after becoming BFFs with a group of natural winemakers in the Loire in 2007.  And La Mule is our jam: brightly acidic, low alcohol (11%) but surprisingly structured, with the faintest whiff of fresh hay and white pepper in an ethereal potion of herbs and poppy red fruit. Drink with abandon.