Pierre Durdilly Beaujolais Domaine Les Gryphees Cuvee Les Balmes 2022 750 ML

Aromas of red and purple flowers, cherries and red plums, light baking spice, pepper. Medium-bodied; smooth tannins. Pairing suggestions: Roasted chicken or turkey; grilled pork sausagesnAge of vines is 90-100 years. Hand-harvested. Fermented on indigenous yeasts in stainless steel tanks. Aged in older foudre. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. nIn local patois, a “balmes” is a slope. This steeply graded vineyard was planted nearly 100 years ago, its ancient vines producing a handful of bunches each vintage. But what a treasure in Beaujolais! Excellent terroir (a mix of limestone, clay and the classic “pierres dorees,” the mineral-rich, golden chalk that characterizes much of Beaujolais) plus very old vines places this anything-but-simple Beaujolais Rouge in cru territory. Simply a treasure in great Gamay!nnOne should always have a Beaujolais like this one at home! So versatile. Gamay fruit here is characteristic but with more delicate nuances, with lively savory freshness throughout the palate and qualities that resemble Pinot Noir – this wine opens up after about one hour in the glass but really shines after that. Great discovery at this price!nnYou can’t ignore the “gryphees,” or seashell fossils, that crunch underfoot as you walk through Pierre Durdilly’s vineyards in Moulin-à-Vent, as if the ocean were just over the next gentle hill.nIt’s this unique terroir, with its mineral complexity, that sets the family’s wines apart from other more rustic bottles from the region. nnToday the family’s third winemaking generation is at work, looking to take the estate in new, exciting directions. Guillaume, Pierre Durdilly’s son, is a keen talent and an eager learner.nHe’s also inspired his father to expand the domaine, acquiring vineyards in other Beaujolais cru villages in an attempt to help preserve the region’s many outstanding older-vine vineyards (many of which have been abandoned by winemakers retiring or sadly, giving up the craft entirely). With families like the Durdillys looking to preserve the “patrimoine” of Beaujolais, the region’s history and traditions are secure!