Grapes: Pinot Noir + Gamay + Chardonnay
Region: Beaujolais, France
Vintage: 2023
Viticulture: Biodynamic
Soils: Clay limestone
Vinification: Grapes are vinified together (mille-feuille) by cold carbonic maceration for 15 days; alcoholic fermentation with native yeast beginning on day 9. Post- fermentation press done manually with a vertical wood press; natural malolactic fermentation.
Aging: 33% aged in oak barrels for 6 months, 66% aged in concrete tanks for 6 months
Fining or Filtering: None
Sulfur: Minimal
Notes from the Importer: Raphael Saint-Cyr is the fourth generation vigneron at the Domaine Saint-Cyr, which was created by his great-grandfather, Pierre Saint-Cyr. The estate is located in Anse, found at the southern edge of the Beaujolais. When Raphael took over the winemaking in 2008, he let go of a large portion of Beaujolais vines around the winery and acquired vines further north in the crus of Morgon, Regnié, Chénas, and Moulin-à-Vent. Having seen his grandfather and uncle get sick from the chemicals used to treat their vines, Raphael was immediately convinced to convert the entire 23 hectare domaine to certified organic viticulture, making Domaine Saint Cyr one of the largest organic domaines in the Beaujolais.
The cuvée La Galoche is named after a small stream that runs by the property and represents the largest production from the domaine. More than anything, it represents the Beaujolais ideal of a delicious, joyful, and easy-to-drink Gamay wine. The oldest vines are vinified and aged separately as the cuvée Terroir de Bellevue, which shows the potential of the oft-maligned southern Beaujolais to produce wines that can stand up to the famous crus of the north, including Fleurie, Morgon, Chénas, and Moulin-à-Vent. The big difference here is soil type - the Pierres Dorées are limestone, while the crus are all planted on granite.
Beginning in 2017, Raphael began to experiment with cold carbonic fermentation and shorter aging for a cru Beaujolais with the single-vineyard Chénas Les Journets. Following the successful reception of this wine, all of the red wines today are vinified using cold carbonic fermentation since 2019. Always searching to improve his work in the vineyard and the quality of his wines, in 2020, Raphael began plowing his own vines with two Comtois drafthorses, Samba and El Suegno. Domaine Saint-Cyr represents the very best of the Beaujolais - joie de vivre and generosity above all, backed up by good people and solid work in the vineyards and cellar.
Marc Soyard also personally owns two small parcels of Pinot Noir further south in the Cote d’Or – one vineyard of Bourgogne Rouge near Ladoix (which he named Hermaion), and a second parcel in the Haute-Côtesde Nuits.
