Gamay Noir 2021

Type

Red

Grape

Gamay

Region

Willamette Valley, OR

Value

Pioneer

Vibe

Alpine + Umami

Farming

Organic

Characteristics

Acidity

Body

Tannins

Production notes:

The fruit for the Hundred Suns Gamay comes from one of Willamette Valley's most iconic sites: the Tualatin Estate Vineyard — planted in 1973 by pioneers Bill Fuller and Bill Malkmus (located in the newly created Tualatin Hills AVA due west of Portland). True to form, Grant and Renée vinified the Gamay in three separate lots: 100% whole-cluster with foot treading; fully destemmed; and whole-cluster in sealed tank (carbonic). Following all native-yeast fermentations, the lots were aged separately in a combination of neutral oak and amphora. After 11 months, the three (wildly different) wines were blended and bottled without filtration. The result: a startlingly complex, multi-octave expression of a grape you thought you knew. 13.9% alcohol.

Gamay Noir - 2021

Bright fruit, moody earth tones: this joy-ride of Gamay has it all. Visions of moon-filled skies and rain-soaked pavement.

Uncut gems these are not. The wines of Hundred Suns are beautifully imagined and expertly crafted. Which should come as no surprise: Within the corrugated walls of its inconspicuous McMinnville warehouse creativity flourishes. Husband-and-wife team Grant Coulter and Renée Saint-Amour work collaboratively, melding experimentation and tradition with artistic aplomb. We like to say that wine is art — yet proving so can be weirdly challenging. Thankfully, Hundred Suns provides a treasure trove of evidence. Grant and Renée approach each wine with the heart and playful eccentricity of artists standing before a blank canvas. Inevitably, the results are delicious and deeply moving, evoking everything we love about the Willamette Valley.