Highlight: Therianthropy David Eagle Gamay 2018

Therianthropy is the mythical process of shapeshifting, which is another way to view turning nature into wine. This small collaborative project launched in late 2019 with this Gamay, and there are three other wines en route for 2020 release. From Twenty Mile Bench’s legendary Foxcroft Wismer Vineyard, these 21 year old Gamay vines were dry farmed, rooted in the site’s calcareous clay, limestone-laced soils. Winemaker David Eiberg decided to go 30% whole cluster with a five day cold soak before the month-long native ferment, and 9 months in older 225L barrels before the wine was bottled unfined and unfiltered. The hot 2018 vintage aided the ripeness of this charming gamay, flooded with juicy plum, wild cherry, and raspberry, all threaded with herbal scrub (thyme, rosemary) and lofted with an easy acidity to a welcome 13 degrees. There’s a mineral salt note and a haunting pomegranate perfume that studs the finish. Bonus points for the thoughtful recyclable plant-based composite cork and organic beeswax button that seals the top. Huge bonus points for the darling label artwork, instantly recognizable to any in the wine industry as Michel Tolmer. A project to watch. #GoGamayGo. 90/100

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Treve Ring

Treve Ring is a wine writer and editor, judge and speaker, and perpetual traveller. [She is also Correspondent Anorak.]