2005 Vintage Select Gamay Noir

Wine Statistics

2005 - The Vintage

The 2005 growing season constituted the farming equivalent of a roller coaster ride. February and March were warmer and dryer than usual, stimulating the vines into an early bud break, and leaving us with an abnormally long period to worry about a late frost. While we escaped any frost, April, May and June turned wetter and colder than usual, slowing the vines down, and adversely affecting fruit set on many vineyards throughout the Willamette Valley. The wet and cool conditions extended into early July, when summer finally began in earnest. Delightfully warm and dry conditions throughout most of July, August, and September eventually brought the growing cycle back to something resembling normal and left us with the prospects of another fine harvest. A major rain storm on the last day of September was the harbinger of a wet fall, and growers had to watch weather patterns closely throughout the harvest period. Fortunately, we found several windows of dry weather throughout October that allowed for good picking conditions. In the end, though yields were down, fruit quality was excellent, and we look forward to serving you a delicious range of wines from the 2005 vintage.

2005 Vintage Select Gamay Noir

In 1395, the Duke of Burgundy decreed that only his beloved Pinot Noir could be grown in Burgundy, so cultivation of the Gamay Noir grape moved south to the Beaujolais Region of France. Today, Beaujolais is well-known all over the world as a light, fruity wine, which is fermented quickly and released early. However, when Gamay Noir is vinified and aged with the same care as Pinot Noir, the resulting wine is much more complex and interesting than those wines so closely associated with the annual world-wide Beaujolais Nouveau celebration. At harvest, our LaVelle Vineyards 2005 Gamay Noir was whole berry fermented in traditional open top fermenters. Twelve days later, after primary fermentation was completed, the wine was racked into barrels, where it was aged for nine months prior to blending and bottling. The resulting wine has an intense nose, with nuances of cherries, oak, and a slight earthiness. This wine exhibits the boysenberry and raspberry fruit flavors typical of Gamay Noir, with hints of spice on the finish. It is an excellent food wine, and as with most red wines, it can be paired with meat and pasta dishes. However, its slightly sharp berry flavors also make it a natural with glazed ham, pork roast, or stir fried Asian foods. We hope you will enjoy this unique wine!

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