Urban wine of Lyon: what is this 812 vintage from Chai Saint Olive?

 

What are the urban wines of the 812 vintage?

Chai Saint Olive produces single-varietal urban wines in red and white. The grape varieties come from the Beaujolais region and the Rhône Valley. There are four of them:

1. The Chardonnay
2. Viognier
3. The Gamay
4. Syrah

• Chardonnay

The Chardonnay from the cuvée 812 is a white wine from the 2020 vintage. The harvest took place at the end of August 2020. The fermentation and aging of this wine took place in oak barrels for approximately 10 months.

During the aging process, the Chai team regularly stirred the barrels to give the wine richness, texture and smoothness.

This Chardonnay is a complex and delicate urban wine with toasty, smoky, spicy notes that complement the fruit aromas of apple, pear and bitter almond.

• Viognier

Harvested at peak ripeness in mid-September 2020, this Viognier is a white wine. Fermentation began at a low temperature in the stainless steel tanks of Chai Saint Olive, and the wine was then quickly transferred to oak barrels where it completed its fermentation. It was aged for approximately 10 months.

As with the Chardonnay, this wine has undergone regular stirring to add texture.

Viognier is a smooth, urban wine that expresses aromas of apricot, peach, lightly toasted and fresh white flowers, and verbena. These aromas give it a very fine character .

• Gamay

Gamay is a red wine whose maceration and alcoholic fermentation took place in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks in order to preserve the freshness and purity of the fruit.

Once in the barrel, the Gamay underwent malolactic fermentation in the Chai's oak barrels, where it completed its aging process. Chai Saint Olive uses 20% new oak barrels to give the wine texture and roundness.

Gamay is a fine and delicate urban wine with aromas of wood fruits, white pepper and rose, a fresh palate with vegetal notes and a beautiful tannic structure on the finish.

• Syrah

Harvested in the third week of September 2020, Syrah is a late-ripening grape variety that is very often harvested last. For the 812 cuvée, the grapes come from old vines of approximately 50-60 years old, producing more concentrated grapes but with a lower yield.

The maceration and alcoholic fermentation are carried out in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks to preserve the primary aromas.

Syrah is a surprising yet authentic urban wine because it is powerful, concentrated and expressive.

It develops aromas of black fruit, leather, cocoa and violet. On the palate, it is spicy, tannic and fresh.

This is a wine to be enjoyed by decanting it a few hours before serving or to be kept in a cellar for a few years.