Domaine Sérol

Region // **CÔTE ROANNAISE**
Size // **35 ha**
Viticulture // **ORGANIC AND BIODYNAMIC (CERTIFIED SINCE 2005)**
Varieties // Red: **GAMAY ST ROMAIN, CHENIN, VIOGNIER**
Winemakers // **STÉPHANE SÉROL**
Established // **1996**
https://www.domaine-serol.com/en/

Stéphane is an expert when it comes to working with the flagship grape variety of Côte Roannaise - the Gamay St Romain. He is able to create the full gamut of wines from this grape, from sparkling rosé, rosé, energetic fruity reds to more concentrated full bodied reds to perfection. No wonder that Stéphane is entrusted with making the house red for Maison Trois Gros, the 3 Michelin star restaurant in Roanne, and Déjà Bu's own label Gamette!

The Domaine goes back to the 17th century, passing from generation to generation ever since. Stéphane and Carine Sérol have run it since 1996, with 35ha of vineyards all certified organic (since 2011) and biodynamic (since 2020) all planted in high density - 8 000 to 10 000 vines per hectare.

They make a vin de pays that is fruity and mineral with characteristic Loire crunchy freshness. The Sérols share their passion for the wines of the area with the Troisgros family, famous for their three-star Michelin restaurant in the town of Roanne where the red Vieilles Vignes cuvée is the house wine.

Sérol’s wines give incredible value, from their house wine to their single vineyards Amphore cuvees - expressive, mineral, with a vibrant energy, charming fruit, and freshness. Déjà Bu has selected two of their most fun, summery, delicately pink made wines from Gamay St Romain grapes for this summer - Cabochard 2020, a dry rosé, and Turbullent, an off dry sparkling rosé NV

Gamay St Romain?
In Côte Roannaise, the Gamay grape is known as St Romain. It thrives in the region's cool and high-altitude climate. Unlike the Gamay grown in Beaujolais, St Romain has loosely spaced berries, often resulting in a phenomenon called millerandage. This means that the berries vary in size, including some very small ones with fewer seeds. Consequently, St Romain yields are lower compared to Beaujolais Gamay. However, these unique characteristics contribute to the production of exceptionally intriguing and delicious wine.
The granitic terroir of the Côte Roannaise appellation imparts a spicy freshness to the wine. Due to the higher altitude, the grapes in Côte Roannaise reach maturity a bit later than those in Beaujolais, resulting in a subtly peppery note. The fruit aromas in Côte Roannaise St Romain are not dominated by red stone fruits like cherries and plums. Instead, they lean towards smaller red fruits such as strawberries, redcurrants, blackberries, and, when fully ripe, even blueberries.Interestingly, some wine producers in Beaujolais are now embracing Gamay St Romain. They have recognized that the mild spicy aromas of this grape variety bring a freshness to the final wines that cannot be achieved with the Gamay from Beaujolais. In warm years, Beaujolais Gamay tends to develop baked fruit aromas, whereas St Romain maintains its characteristic liveliness and vibrancy.

Côte Roannaise

Côte Roannaise isn’t an appellation that we hear about often, but it deserves a front place on restaurants’ wine lists or on cavistes’ shelves. The appellation was created in 1996, although vineyards have existed in the area since the Middle Ages. All the hillsides were covered with them, and it was the last wine-producing region of France to be hit by the phylloxera disease - the last region of France to be able to produce wines at that time! After phylloxera, the vineyards were not re-planted straight away. It was a period of industrialisation in textile and munitions, and people were looking to work in factories. Those who carried on working in agriculture decided to concentrate on cattle farming as there is the famous Charolais AOC in the region. When this industrial period passed, the interest for viticulture came back. The appellation now includes 210 ha of vineyards with around 25 producers. It is part of what we call the Volcanic Loire which includes other neighbouring appellations such as Côte du Forez, Saint-Pourçain, Côtes d’Auvergne, which all have the Gamay St Romain as a common grape variety. It is an interesting, dynamic wine region and appellation, which attracts wine buyers but also a new generation of winemakers who don’t have any family background in viticulture. The land is affordable, the terroirs are fantastic and the grape variety is stunning both to work with as wine in the glass!

Les vins de Sérol