Coteaux Bourguignons Gamay Fin AOP 2023

Wine description for Coteaux Bourguignons Gamay Fin AOP 2023 by Boris Champy

Colour & appearance

Bright, rather transparent ruby red – a wine that reveals even in the glass that freshness takes precedence over weight.

Nose

Youthful and exuberant: juicy cherries and wild strawberries surge forward, followed by plums, a hint of lees and a spicy layer of pepper, undergrowth and a touch of saddle leather. Far from a simple fruit basket, this is a Gamay with edges and character.

Palate

Crisp, slender, with vibrant acidity and a juicy core of fruit. Herbal and stony spice weave through the berries, accompanied by flashes of salt, pepper and a subtle trace of vanilla. The tannins are rounded and serve merely as a framework – supporting without ever dominating. Clear and transparent in expression throughout.

Finish

Fresh and juicy, with a peppery echo and a saline note that lingers long on the palate.

Terroir & origin

The vines are rooted in three parcels of the Hautes-Côtes de Beaune, where the vineyards climb to altitudes above 400 metres. At these elevations, the grapes ripen around a week later than on the celebrated Côte de Beaune – a crucial advantage in the era of climate change, preserving natural freshness and elegance here.

Grape variety & vinification

Gamay from old sélections massales, densely planted at 10,000 vines per hectare and trained in Guyot. Around half of the grapes were fermented as whole bunches via carbonic maceration, spontaneously in wooden vats with a short, nine-day maceration. Maturation took place over twelve months in old pièces and foudres – gently, without allowing the wood to overpower the wine.

Food recommendations

A wine for the humble, honest table: grilled sausages, coq au vin, lentil salad with bacon or a simple Époisses to finish the meal. Also a delight when served lightly chilled alongside charcuterie and cornichons.

Special features

Boris Champy’s path led from Dominus in the Napa Valley, via a pilgrimage along the Camino de Santiago, to this estate in Nantoux – which became the first in Burgundy to be Demeter-certified back in 1984. This Gamay demonstrates what the combination of high-altitude vineyards, old massal selections and four decades of biodynamic experience can achieve: a Burgundy that takes the grape variety seriously without stripping it of its lightness.