Originally from Burgundy, Gamay is a genetic cross between Pinot Noir and Gouais B. (a vine now in disuse).
The first sources that mention Gamay date back to the late Middle Ages, and at that time it was the most common grape variety in Burgundy. In 1395 the Duke of Burgundy “Philip the Bold” forbade the cultivation of Gamay to favor the production of Pinot Noir, then considered more noble and suitable for the production of high quality wines.
The initial idea of my father (1997), having the desire and possibility to plant two new hectares of vineyards, was to use only Malbec vine but by contacting his favorite grapewine grower (Pépinières Guillaume) he was urged by the same to plant Gamay in one of the two hectares, because according to him our microclimatic position would have allowed us to obtain fantastic results with this vine. My father, always eager to face the most difficult challenges, was totally taken and decided to follow the advice of Pierre Marie, planting a hectare of Gamay.
The name of our Gamay “Unico” (we do not want to be presumptuous) is appropriate because in the majority of the places where it is vinified it is preferred to obtain wines based on freshness and not on the structure and consequently it is not aged in oak barrels, while we want to obtain (and we do) with this great vine, a wine that has nothing to envy to the most well-known and noble vines of Bordeaux and Burgundy.
The predominant scents are black pepper, blackberry, black cherry, tobacco and dark chocolate, there is a complex but not intrusive structure and a warm and round finish without appearing cloying.
Among the recent vintages I really appreciate 2016, among the older vintages the most interesting I have tasted is 2006, which has a really round and velvety tannin and has not yet reached its peak.
