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Domaine de la Charmoise Les Cépages Oubliés Gamay de Bouze 2017

In last week’s report on the latest releases from Verdier Logel I took a look at the domaine’s various cuvées of Gamay (not to mention the odd bottle of Pinot Gris, Viognier, Syrah and Malbec – you know, all the usual Loire varieties) from the Massif Central. The combination of Gamay – or Gamay-Saint-Romain as they refer to it locally, although as far as I can make out this is a locally developed and favoured clone of Gamay Noir rather than a distinct variety – with the basaltic and granitic soils of France’s central mountain range results in wines of fabulous concentration, definition and drive. There is a vivacity and vigour to them which I have rarely found in Gamay from Touraine, where it tens to be planted on lighter or gravelly soils, occasionally bolstered by a little clay or limestone.

Having said that, one or two examples of Touraine Gamay do stand out as being particularly successful, and I think if I had to pick one ahead of all others it would have to be Les Cépages Oubliés from the Marionnet family. It is a wine I have been drinking, on and off, since I first tasted it over twenty years ago (I’m sorry to say I forget the first vintage I ever tasted, back in pre-Winedoctor days).

There is more to this cuvée than at first meets the eye though. First and foremost this is not Gamay Noir (or Gamay Noir à Jus Blanc, to give it its Sunday name, or Gamay-Saint-Romain if your prefer). This is Gamay de Bouze, a teinturier variety (meaning not only is the skin coloured red, so is the pulp within – teinture translates as dye), popular in times past because the rich colour it imparted to a blend was useful in beefing up its appearance in the glass. So you might say I am cheating already, as this isn’t Gamay Noir; having arisen in the village of Bouze during the 19th century, it is probably a mutation of it, or perhaps a cross between Gamay Noir and some other teinturier (given the fact the pulp of Gamay de Bouze is not as dark as that of other teinturiers, my money’s on the latter).

Domaine de la Charmoise Les Cépages Oubliés Gamay de Bouze 2017

But let’s give Gamay de Bouze a break; once popular along the banks of the Cher, today Gamay de Bouze has been excluded from every French appellation other than as a minor ‘accessory’ variety, permissible as a small percentage in a blend. This is despite the fact the wines can be delightful, as understood by Henry Marionnet and his son, Jean-Sébastien, who continue to vinify and bottle it as a standalone cuvée. The name of this cuvée, if you haven’t already worked it out, hints at this history, cépages oubliés translating as forgotten grape varieties (this is turning into a bit of a French lesson, isn’t it? – sorry about that).

The 2017 Les Cépages Oubliés Gamay de Bouze from Domaine de la Charmoise presents a typically dark and richly pigmented appearance in the glass, a rather glossy black at its core, with a violet raspberry rim. The aromatics are surprisingly dark and focused, with notes of macerated blackberry and peppered strawberry, laced with black olive and sooty liquorice. It starts off dark and juicy on the palate, before the sweet blackberry and strawberry fruit comes to the fore, while the structure of finely grained tannins appears only on the finish, along with a flourish of fresh acidity. Bright, peppery and powdery, savoury and loaded with mouth-watering black fruits and black pepper, there is no rush to drink here; by all means pop one now, but I can see this evolving very well for another five years, if not more. The alcohol on the label is 13%. 92/100 (19/6/23)

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