2007 Edmunds St John Gamay Noir Porphyry

WINE TALK
1

2007 Edmunds St John Gamay Noir Porphyry Barsotti Ranch

This wine has uncoiled since its release last year, with snappy strawberry and cherry fruit and lots of minerality, a kind of tangy ferrous salinity. I can’t think of a wine that more transparently shows its origin in decomposed granite soil. This wine reminds me of Chermette’s Domaine Vissoux wines, with similar crackling fruit and minerality. ESJ makes two Gamay Noirs from the Sierra Foothills. The Bone Jolly is the easier drinking wine, emphasizing the juicy fruit. But the more interesting wine for me, the Porphyry, is all about the minerality.

-Al

2

Al,
Had this wine a few weeks ago. It’s really getting interesting these days. GrandCru Beauj level. This is how they’d make Beaujolais in France if they could.
Have you tried Steve’s Ah! yet?? His Witter’sVnyd CabFranc/Gamay blend? They have a little at PaulMarcus and VintageBerkeley.
If you hustle…really hustle…you can beat me to the TN on it.
Tom

3

I haven’t tried the Bebame. I was in Paul Marcus recently, but didn’t notice it in the shop.

-Al

4

Al = what vintage of this were they pouring at the rug gallery tasting? It was very tasty and I agree that it seems much more “serious” than the Bone Jolly

5

Steve was pouring the 2007 Porphyry and the 2008 Bone Jolly. I think he’s only released one vintage of the Porphyry so far.

-Al

6

Al is correct.

Having tasted a good deal of Cru Beaujolais recently (Tom, there’s no such thing as Grand Cru Beaujolais designation), the Porphyry would not be out of place in such company. Terrific Gamay.