Gamay, Beaujolais, France

A lawless & rhapsodic gamay from Father Beaujolais himself landing in Ontario for the first time! Winemaking siblings Mathieu and Camille Lapierre’s father, Marcel, plus like-minded winemakers Guy Breton, Jean-Paul Thévenet and Jean Foillard, arguably jumpstarted the natural wine movement – or at least deeply inspired it. After Marcel’s passing in 2010, his children ran with their father’s torch, introducing biodynamic principles and cementing Morgon gamay’s cult status. Today they generally add a dash of sulphur to each cuvée for added stability (smol, smol amount!), but for the natty loyalists they’ve made a ‘sans soufre’ juice bomb! Many natural wine lovers say sulphur immediately stiffles the soul of a wine, and only unsulphured bottles, like this one, show a grape’s TRUE potential and place. You be the judge and NOT to be hyperbolic, but this unbridled gamay from Morgon – often considered the Kingdom for Beaujolais – is a fireworks show of aromas. Wild strawberries baking in the bike basket, tart cherries rolled in sugar, a violet garden that spells your name, a pastureland that leaves jazz radio on for the animals, the transcendent rainy woods smell that makes you want to pack your things and swiftly get to writing ‘Walden II’ in a forest-shrouded cabin. But unlike Thoreau YOU would be a great host. Your place would be the place for your friends to put or grow their ideas. This is your sign to get the gang / book club / band / estranged family back together so you can merrily sip this beauty of a wine!