Domaine De La Chaise Gamay Le Clos Des Plantes

Christophe Davault, now joined by son Quentin, is a very talented winemaker. He makes wonderful Sauvignon Blancs and soft fruity reds. His Touraine Sauvignon Blanc is a benchmark Loire Sauvignon, with similar characteristics to a classic Sancerre.

Gamay,

Located around 225 kilometers (140 miles) from the Atlantic Ocean, and the same from the northern Massif Central hills of central France. As a result, the climate here falls somewhere between maritime and continental.

In summer, the slow-moving waters of the Loire do little to cool the Touraine vineyards. The region is known for its hot, torpid summer days.

There is, however, a noticeable variation in winter temperatures within Touraine. The district's eastern edge tends to have colder and drier winters. In the west of the region they are usually slightly wetter and more temperate.

Throughout the Touraine, the better vineyard sites are those blessed with free-draining soils rich in tuffeau. Tuffeau is the calcareous rock for which this part of the Loire Valley is famous. It was used as the building material for most the valley's famous chateaux. Tuffeau caves also proved perfect for long-term wine storage and ageing.

The “Le Clos des Plantes” cuvée from Domaine de la Chaise comes from a plot belonging to the Davault family, located in Epeigné-les-bois, on the clay-siliceous slopes of the south bank of the Cher. The name of this plot is historically linked to the Château de Chenonceaux which assigned a name of "Clos" to the plots for which it selected the grapes.

This slope to the south, particularly well exposed for the maturity of the Gamay grape variety, makes it possible to obtain very rich and gourmet wines. The thirty-year-old vines are managed as the Davault family has done since 1850.

The grapes were sorted and destemmed before vatting. The vatting lasted 30 days in an underground concrete tank. The alcoholic and malolactic fermentations were carried out successively under marc, as well as a micro-bubbling between the two fermentations. After de-vatting, the wines are placed in vats for an aging period that will last until bottling.

Gamay is a much under-rated grape variety that in the hands of a skilful winemaker can make lovely supple wine.

Dark red colour, nose of ripe red fruits and black fruits. A fruity and fleshy mouth, which reveals a beautiful aromatic complexity dominated by black fruits. The structure is well balanced with silky tannins.

Delightful very slightly chilled on a warm summer day, or with mild cheese and simple meat dishes.