Good Loire Gamay like this organic beauty is classically exuberant and fresh, but with a bit more richness of texture than its siblings in Beaujolais.

From 20-40 year old Gamay vines that are growing near the Cher river, a key Loire tributary, in the eastern Touraine. The soils here are gravelly, with marls of limestone and clay, as well as some flintstone (called silex here) that combines with warmer summers to produce a different take on Gamay than what you usually find in Beaujolais.

Domaine Sauvèvete is the work of  four generations, including husband/wife team Jérôme and Dominique, who have spent decades converting their vineyards to organic practices (now certified) and making humble, yet excellent wines from those vines. And now their daughter Mathilde has taken the helm while her semi-retired parents continue to keep an eye on everything.

The organic, and now biodynamically grown fruit is hand-harvested and then the whole clusters are fermented in stainless steel tanks, undergoing full to partial carbonic maceration, before the juice is gently pressed off and then aged in the same steel tanks for several months before bottling with a minimal addition of sulphur dioxide. 

Serve cool in Burgundy stems and the classic Gamay spread of red fruits–cherries, plums, strawberries–mingle with savory notes of violets, lavender, cocoa, red pepper, and wet rock. The body is medium, with a silky texture and long, gravelly and mineral laced finish. Pair with classic French Bistro dishes, or just a good old-fashioned cheeseburger