Vins de la Madone Côtes du Forez Migmatite 2021

Vins de la Madone Côtes du Forez Migmatite is a low-yielding old-vine Gamay from a rare band of metamorphic rock in the upper Loire.

The Côtes du Forez is one of the Loire's most obscure appellations, a small run of vineyards on the volcanic and granitic slopes west of the river near Montbrison, planted almost entirely to Gamay. Gilles Bonnefoy's Vins de la Madone is the estate that has drawn attention to it. Migmatite comes from a fifty-year-old parcel on the Migmatites du Montbrison, a granite covered in sand and clay and mixed with migmatite, a rock formed at the boundary of igneous and metamorphic. Only about 25 hectares of the current plantings across the appellation sit on this soil type. It is said to give lighter wines, but Bonnefoy's yields of just 25 hectolitres per hectare add real depth. The grapes were hand-harvested and given a whole-cluster, semi-carbonic ferment with native yeasts in the Beaujolais manner, aged in stainless steel and bottled with minimal sulphur. Dark berry fruit meets a smoky, green-pepper spice particular to the site.

Drink now or over the next four or five years. Serve at 14-16°C with charcuterie, roast pork or grilled vegetables.

*Every effort is made to ensure the current vintage is accurate; however, variations can occur. If you are after a specific vintage, please contact us prior to ordering.