Gamay Noir 2018

Gamay Noir, the grape of France’s Beaujolais, is an awesome new addition to Love & Squalor’s lineup. It’s one of a handful of exciting new Gamay bottlings that have cropped up in the valley in recent years, hopefully bringing to an end Gamay’s long history in the U.S. of being overlooked, misidentified and misunderstood. The Gamay for this wine are sourced from McCleskey Vineyard, just South of Portland near the town of Tigard (a stone’s throw from the Chehalem Mountains appellation). The vineyard was planted between 2001 and 2002 and contains only half an acre of Gamay. Matt’s approach is part nouveau (partial carbonic fermentation) and part old school (18 months in neutral oak) to produce a wine that feels both spontaneous and polished.