Domaine Sérol - Côte Roannaise 'Les Blondins' 2022
IN STOCK - 5 left in stock
$21.00
Domaine Sérol is a five-generation family estate in the Côte Roannaise, an isolated, high-altitude appellation near the Loire Gorges. Once home to nearly 20,000 hectares of vines, the region had lost 99 percent of its vineyards by 1970. Today, its remaining vines rise between 400 and 550 meters on the granite slopes of the Massif Central, where the native Gamay Saint Romain produces fresh, savory wines marked by red fruit, spice, and vibrant acidity.
The family’s roots at Les Estinaudes date to the 17th century. Robert Sérol took over the small mixed farm in 1964 and bottled his first commercial wine in 1971. A tireless advocate for the region, he helped lead the campaign that earned Côte Roannaise AOC status in 1994.
His son Stéphane joined the domaine in 1996 and now leads it with his wife, Carine. Together, they farm 38 hectares certified organic and biodynamic, preserving traditional high-density vineyards and Gamay Saint Romain through massal selection. Harvesting is entirely manual, fermentations rely on indigenous yeasts, and the wines are raised primarily in concrete, wood, and amphora with minimal intervention.
Plot planted in 1992 on a granitic cirque, covering 1.89 hectares of vines. Altitude between 420 and 460 meters. South-East exposure.
During the growing season, soil work is only done under the vines. Manual work during the growing season includes: shoot thinning, bud removal, trellising, and removing lateral shoots.
Hand-harvested in 12kg crates, sorted at the winery on vibrating tables. 100% destemmed. Vinification and aging without sulfur in amphorae. Fermentation using indigenous yeasts. 7 months of maceration by infusion. Slow pressing in amphora. Aging for 4 months, also in amphora. Gentle filtration on cellulose plates and bottling carried out by us.
"This is a wine of pure Gamay joy: bold, juicy, dark-red fruit holds the centre from start to finish. But that’s not all. It has a wilder side, too. An earthy, barky edge and, appropriately, a bass note of wet-granite-like stoniness, all surrounded by a thirst-slaking freshness and enough grip to add a soupçon of structure. And it packs a characterful punch for only 12% alcohol. There’s no oak adornment here; it’s aged for 11 months in concrete tanks after a slow spontaneous fermentation. Purity and pleasure are the results. " - Jancis Robinson
Producer: Domaine Serol
Country: France
Region: Loire Valley
Varietal: Gamay Saint Romain
Appellation: Côte Roannaise
Vintage: 2022
Size: 750ml
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