2016 Julien Sunier Regnie

Region: Régnié < Beaujolais < France
Grapes: Gamay
Vineyard/Cellar Stats: organic farming, 60 year-old vines, granitic sandy soil; semi-carbonic fermentation (whole cluster), in concrete tanks; aged 11 months in neutral barrel; bottled unfined/unfiltered with 15ppm added so2; 12.2% ABV
Winemaker: Julien Sunier

Julien Sunier is a perennial somm and natural wine-darling, whose wine crosses boundaries between classic and modern. The somms like the purity and Burgundian nature of his Beaujolais Crus, while the natty crowd is drawn to his youth and low-intervention practices. For us, this wine IS Régnié – so lithe and light on the tongue, despite some earthy spice and firm tannic structure, you could seriously chug it straight from the bottle. Yet fine and elegant enough for the dinner table, with loads or poppy red fruit, pine needle and holiday spice. Throw in the fridge for 30 min, then serve with turkey and other holiday dinner fare, appetizers of all sorts and spicy food like Indian.