About one month ago, we let you know the inside scoop on the Samuel Luis Smith Chardonnay. It's a Burgundian-inspired, 98-point Chardonnay that has gone over so well that we see several of you coming back time and time again to reload on that beauty of wine. Well, never one to be idle, Sam has just released his Gamay, and it has earned a tremendous 97-point score, and it sells for the same $35.95 price as that Chardonnay!
Now some of you (rightfully so) might be asking yourself, "what is Gamay?" Gamay is the noble grape of Beaujolais, a region in France situated between Burgundy and the Rhone. The top tier wines from here are called Cru Beaujolais, and they display an electric ruby color with purple highlights, complimented by aromas and flavors of vibrant red fruit, floral aromas, and earthy minerality. Gamay is a wonderful choice for those who enjoy Pinot Noir, and Sam's rendition is exceptionally reminiscent of Cru Beaujolais!
The organically-farmed Baytree Lane vineyard lies sits at 700' above the town of Sonoma and at the foot of Sonoma Mountain. Shortly after the conversion to organic farming, a 5-acre block of Pinot Noir began to exhibit unusual yet alluring traits. Genetic testing revealed that this was actually a clone of Gamay, and this revelation turned the property into a highly sought-after, rare source for true California Gamay. Warm days, cool nights, and volcanic clay loam soils provide perfect conditions for growing bright, flavorful, and aromatically powerful Gamay Noir.
Sam embodies a neoclassical style where lower alcohol, higher acidity, and native fermentations with little to no additions create wines of place and purity, aroma, and structure. Over the course of his career, Sam has worked in Santa Barbara (Brander, Tres Hermanas, Margerum), Australia (Mitchelton), the Willamette Valley (Tendril), the Northern Rhône (Villard), and Champagne (Nowack & Sélèque).
If you're a fan of bright, high-toned, beautiful Pinot Noir, but might be looking for something new, then this wine is right up your alley. Couple that with its 97-point score, and the wine's more than reasonable price, and this could become one of your new favorites!
JEB DUNNUCK 97 POINTS - "The 2024 Gamay Noir Baytree Lane Vineyard is from a first and perhaps last-time source for the grapes, a site also sourced by Tom Darling that overlooks the town of Sonoma. White pepper, raspberry, and layers of earth form a delicious, light-bodied core that’s aromatically floral and inviting and ultimately delicious. Foot-stomped and 100% whole-cluster fermented, 30% of that carbonic, it aged 11 months in neutral French oak. This is a delightfully quaffable wine that’s still complex and interesting, well worth your time. Drink now through 2034."
Now some of you (rightfully so) might be asking yourself, "what is Gamay?" Gamay is the noble grape of Beaujolais, a region in France situated between Burgundy and the Rhone. The top tier wines from here are called Cru Beaujolais, and they display an electric ruby color with purple highlights, complimented by aromas and flavors of vibrant red fruit, floral aromas, and earthy minerality. Gamay is a wonderful choice for those who enjoy Pinot Noir, and Sam's rendition is exceptionally reminiscent of Cru Beaujolais!
The organically-farmed Baytree Lane vineyard lies sits at 700' above the town of Sonoma and at the foot of Sonoma Mountain. Shortly after the conversion to organic farming, a 5-acre block of Pinot Noir began to exhibit unusual yet alluring traits. Genetic testing revealed that this was actually a clone of Gamay, and this revelation turned the property into a highly sought-after, rare source for true California Gamay. Warm days, cool nights, and volcanic clay loam soils provide perfect conditions for growing bright, flavorful, and aromatically powerful Gamay Noir.
Sam embodies a neoclassical style where lower alcohol, higher acidity, and native fermentations with little to no additions create wines of place and purity, aroma, and structure. Over the course of his career, Sam has worked in Santa Barbara (Brander, Tres Hermanas, Margerum), Australia (Mitchelton), the Willamette Valley (Tendril), the Northern Rhône (Villard), and Champagne (Nowack & Sélèque).
If you're a fan of bright, high-toned, beautiful Pinot Noir, but might be looking for something new, then this wine is right up your alley. Couple that with its 97-point score, and the wine's more than reasonable price, and this could become one of your new favorites!
JEB DUNNUCK 97 POINTS - "The 2024 Gamay Noir Baytree Lane Vineyard is from a first and perhaps last-time source for the grapes, a site also sourced by Tom Darling that overlooks the town of Sonoma. White pepper, raspberry, and layers of earth form a delicious, light-bodied core that’s aromatically floral and inviting and ultimately delicious. Foot-stomped and 100% whole-cluster fermented, 30% of that carbonic, it aged 11 months in neutral French oak. This is a delightfully quaffable wine that’s still complex and interesting, well worth your time. Drink now through 2034."
