BENOIT ROSENBERGER
Solerat de Cave 2018
Auvergne, France
From old vines of Gamay d’Auvergne planted over volcanic basalt, granite and quartz. A portion of Benoit’s Gamay from 2018 never finished fermentation, so he infused the marc of the 2021 vintage in the wine for five days and moved the wine to barrels for three years of rest, before blending the wine with a touch of the 2020 and 2022 vintages he’d kept in demijohn. The name is a nod to the solera method, and like many made in this way, the resulting wine is more than the sum of its parts, making for a wild, singular and complex wine that offers layers of intrigue. Delicious now, this will reward careful cellaring over the coming years.
Please note there is a limit of one bottle per customer.
Gamay d’Auvergne
ABOUT THE PRODUCER
From a tiny cellar in the village of Saint-Maurice-ès-Allier in Auvergne, Benoit Rosenberger has made a name for himself as one to watch in this most exciting of regions.
Born in Sancerre, Benoit initially worked as a computer programmer and at a large Champagne house, an experience that left him disenchanted with wine. However, a move to the Auvergne and chance meetings with local vignerons such as his good friend Frédéric Gounan convinced him to start over again, this time doing things the only way that felt right.
Benoit farms just three hectares of Gamay d’Auvergne from 50-80 year old vines split across small parcels on rolling hills some 350-500 metres above sea level. The vines are tended by hand and Benoit eschews even the use of copper and sulphur, instead using teas and infusions such as dandelion, nettle and pine to care for the plants. The soil is predominantly basalt, which along with volcanic sand and granite, makes for coarse, fragrant wines that shimmer with life.
In the cellar, Benoit is uncompromising in his approach. There are no additions made at any stage and the wines are only bottled after a proper élevage. Although he remains laid back, humble and full of charm, his wines are amongst the most thrilling and compelling we have found.