Vins de la Madone Les Rougeots du Clos Gamays 2021

Les Rougeots du Clos is a single, one-hectare plot at 600 metres co-planted to three of Gamay’s red-fleshed teinturier clones. The first two are Gamay de Bouze and Gamay de Chaudenay. Thought to be introduced by the Benedictine monks, these old variants are now almost extinct outside the Monts du Forez. There’s also a little Gamaret, a cross between Gamay Noir and Reichensteiner created in Switzerland in 1970 (which may not easily fit the heirloom narrative of this wine, but it’s a grape Bonnefoy prizes for its vibrant black fruit character). These red-fleshed varieties are outlawed within the Côtes du Forez appellation, so this (delicious) wine is bottled under the IGP d'Urfé.

The soils here are Migmatite granite, a mix of metamorphic and igneous rock that forms the signature soil type of the region of Montbrison. As this is a young vine cuvée, Bonnefoy does not use any stems in the winemaking, and the wine is simply wild fermented and raised in cuve inox. Les Rougeots du Clos is vinifed without any added sulphur—Bonnefoy notes that the teinturier variants are less prone to oxidation and instead uses a little natural gas for protection.

You can pick this straight off the ‘vibrant, perfumed and crunchy shelf’. It’s aromatic and finely succulent with red current juiciness kissed by white peppercorn, hibiscus and elderberry notes with a thirst-quenching finish. All it needs is a baguette and some saucisson (or a ripe Brie).