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Division Winemaking Company 2014 Gamay Noir Cru
The day the phone started ringing
The phone rang. And it rang again. And again. At Division Winemaking Company, the phone didn’t stop ringing for days. Just about a year ago, New York Times wine critic Eric Asimov singled out Thomas and Kate Monroe’s 2012 Gamay Noir as the best red wine to pair with a Thanksgiving meal. It was just a three-sentence mention, but the phone didn’t stop ringing until the Gamay Noir was sold out – and almost everything else in a bottle, too.
The Monroes are best known for founding the Southeast Wine Collective, a popular wine bar and urban winemaking facility. Currently the home of nine winemakers, the Collective has launched numerous labels that are winning fans (including five previous selections in Cellar 503’s first year.)
Kate and Tom have been making wine together since they spent a year on a vineyard in France in 2009. With a business plan for an Oregon-based winery that Tom wrote during business school, they relocated to Oregon to launch a winery of their own.
At Division, they create wines that reflect their love of French style wines – balanced wines with nuanced flavors using minimalist winemaking practices that help the unique character of each vineyard shine through in each bottle.
Cellar 503 Tasting Notes
Division Winemaking Company, Portland, Oregon
2014 Gamay Noir Cru
Largely found in Beaujolais, France, Gamay Noir combines dark fruit and bright acid, with subtle notes of licorice or anise. Consequently, it’s a hearty and flavorful wine that pairs well with a wide variety of foods – perfect for a Thanksgiving feast.
It’s relatively rare in the United States, largely found in the Willamette Valley and a few spots in British Columbia. Division only produced about 80 cases of this 2014 edition of their Gamay, and we’re thrilled to feature it for Thanksgiving at Cellar 503 – we beat the New York Times to it this year!
The initial aromatics are a granite-like minerality, ripe raspberries, and some funky and floral notes. The texture is a bit richer and more tannic than many Beaujolais Gamays. The Monroes’ minimalist approach – spontaneous fermentation, no fining or filtering, neutral wood – helps the fruit shine through.
A Cellar 503 selection in November 2015, Thanksgiving Wines Eola-Amity Hills | Gamay Noir
