Grapes: Gamay
Region: VDF
Vintage: 2020
Viticulture: Biodynamic
Soils: Deep clay with galets
Vinification: Whole-cluster and native yeast fermentation with no pigeage or pumpovers, followed by three weeks of maceration in fiberglass tanks
Aging: Fiberglass
Fining or Filtering: None
Sulfur: None added
Notes from the Importer: 'Vésanie' is the main cuvée from Baptiste Nayrand, and a genre-defining Gamay for the Coteaux du Lyonnais. It's a joyful wine that brings a new definition to the appellation – think of it as cru Beaujolais meets Côte-Rôtie in the best possible way.
Originally from the area around Lyon, Baptiste Nayrand created his eponymous domaine from scratch in 2014. Today he has just over six hectares of vines, which is the maximum he can farm by himself to maintain the quality he requires. The majority of vineyards are dedicated to Gamay in the AOP Coteaux du Lyonnais, a small, rather unknown appellation on the outskirts of Lyon, located between the Beaujolais and the Northern Rhône. There is also a small amount of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Aligoté permitted in the AOP Coteaux du Lyonnais.
These wines have a similar excitement and energy found in the most legendary natural wine producers in France. Cognizant of the natural wine movement for many years as a wine drinker, Baptiste created his estate with a drive to produce exceptional natural wines, and has written his own eloquent philosophy for the domaine:
"Since its inception, the entire domaine has been certified organic. The vineyard is maintained without any chemical products, pesticides, or synthetic fertilizer. The soil is plowed to encourage microbial activity. Parallel infusions of horsetail, nettle, comfrey, and willow are used to reinforce and structure the vines during their vegetative period, and to reduce to a strict minimum the use of copper and sulfur. The domaine also uses biodynamic methods, with the constant objective to recreate the harmony between the mineral, vegetable, human, and cosmos. Vinifications are done exclusively with native yeast, without sulfur dioxide, and without any modern oenological products. All vinification takes place without the use of temperature control (neither heating or cooling), as the objective is to infuse the grapes rather than to extract them. As a result, there are very few punchdowns or pumpovers executed, for the sake of respecting the integrity of the grapes as long as possible, as well as to obtain maximum finesse and complexity. Conscious of the health of our customers, we reduce the quantity of sulfites in the wine to the strict minimum to guarantee a better digestibility and an ivresse joyeuse (literally a joyful inebriation, but it sounds better in French)."
