Sylvain Bock’s wines have surprised me the moment they came through the door. They have this uncanny ability to be thoughtful when you want them to be yet quaffable when all you want is a delicious, satisfying glass of wine.
This Northern Rhône Gamay is a refreshing, even edgy take on the grape. Similar to its cousins from Beaujolais it bursts with juicy, fresh red berries, full of jubilance and life. All the while staying cool and brisk, with a savory streak that speaks to it's Rhône roots. I'll be keeping a few in my refrigerator all spring and summer long. |
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100% Gamay from two distinct parcels, one with black basalt soils, the other a patch of chalk that was once an ancient seabed. The grapes are hand harvested, then undergo carbonic maceration in stainless steel for 15 days. It rests for 8 months before being bottled un-fined, unfiltered
Bouncy and fragrant; a big bowl of fresh red cherries, violets and a touch of black pepper on the nose. The palate follows suit delivering strawberries and tangy raspberries cut with a sea salt vein that helps keep this wine light on its feet. With bristling texture, this wine is begging to be chilled down and served al fresco.
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Pensive, introspective, yet prone to sudden bursts of enthusiasm, Sylvain Bock is much like the wines he makes. His wines project a careful complexity that is belied by their playful labels.
Nestled in a rugged corner of the Ardèche, he clearly loves this part of the world he has chosen to call home — which he describes as the North of the South of France — not only for its terroir of limestone and basalt, but also for the community he has found there among other winemakers. His wines are full of soul, terroir transparency AND are immensely fun to drink.
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Justin Coleman
Proprieter
Monarch Wine Merchants |
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