Human Cellars Gamay 'L'Influence Du Bouys' 2023

The vibe: Guided by the philosophy that human, vineyard and nature have equal influence on each other and cannot be separated into traditional singular roles, the wines of Human Cellars are pure, honest expressions and, ultimately extensions of the people and places that form them. We’re excited to share their wines, starting with this incredible, incredible Willamette Valley Gamay. Shout it from the rooftops, Gamay Noir is the new Pinot! No shade to Pinot, but its cousin from Beaujolais is still a relative underdog in these parts and we love an underdog. Here we get tons of dark fruit like blackberry and blueberry, accompanied by black tea and dried, crunchy forest floor. An energetic through line of acidity buttons it all up and leaves your lips smacking for more. A touch of Viognier adds finesse and levity to this structured and deeply complex (yet quaffable) red.

The winemaker: Bryan and Emily created Human Cellars after more than 20 years of wandering the earth. Firstly working with underprivileged farmers in Africa, Asia and Latin American and later in wineries in France and Germany, they crossed paths with exceptional people who overcame adversity through uncompromising perseverance and passion. 

The geeky details: 96% Gamay and 4% Viognier. Low-input organic farming, bare minimum winemaking practices and micro-doses of sulfur allow the grapes to express the Eola Amity Hills terroir with no background-noise. Fermented in small lots and aged 50% in stainless steel tanks and 50% in neutral French oak barrels. A splash of Viognier was added to bring a touch of eloquence to this bold wine. 

Serve: Cellar temp or with a slight chill.

Food pairing: Whip out the charcuterie board y’all. Baked Camembert would be crazyyy. Salami and prosciutto too. For mains, this earthy, terroir-driven profile would make a great pairing for lentil stew or a hearty truffle pasta with spicy chorizo sausage. 

Album pairing: SuperParka - quatro (expanded)