The Côte Roannaise may be little known but the wines stand out boldly and speak for themselves, whether its the luscious, off-dry sparkling gamay "Turbullent," the delicate and precise bone dry still rosé "Cabochard", or the dense and spicy south-eastern exposed single parcel "Oudan". Technically part of the Loire Valley but actually much closer to Beaujolais, it is 50 km west of Morgon in the Monts de Madeleine, close to the Loire River's source in the Massif Central. Gamay reigns supreme in this high elevation site perched on a vein of granite, and the domaine's myriad single parcels capture nuanced expressions of place and make for extremely compelling wines. The domaine dates back to the 18th century, Stéphane is the 5th generation to work this land and he and his wife Carine have done much to elevate the recognition of their appellation, Gamay Saint Romain - the locally adapted version of Gamay native to the area, and they have also done much to spread the word about responsible farming. Today they have close to 30 hectares, the oldest vines are 80 years old and, the domaine is certified organic and in the process of converting parcel by parcel to Demeter certification.

Winemaker: Robert Serol

Farming Practices: Organic, with estate vineyards in transition to biodynamic

Varieties: 50% Gamay, 43% Syrah, 7% Grenache from neighbors' vineyards

Terroir: Granite in Cote Roannaise (just west of Beaujolais)

Vinification: stainless steel tank

Tasting notes: Zesty red and black fruits, savory and marjoram. Light to medium-boded. Refreshing.