Cotes du Forez La Madone 2020 is no longer available

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Cotes du Forez La Madone 2020

Red Wine from France - Provence / Massif / Corsica

4 Reviews

is no longer available

Code: FC40231

Wine characteristics

Red Wine
Light to medium-bodied
Gamay
Drinking now
13% Alcohol
no oak influence
Cork, colmate

Gilles Bonnefoy

The Massif Central used to be a much more important wine producing region of France which almost disappeared. The catalyst was phylloxera which struck here as it did everywhere but there were fewer incentives to restart growing. Moreover war and the growth of industry in cities like Saint Etienne put a drain on the workforce.

Rebuilding has been very gradual but it is there. The Forez region is somewhat closed and mountainous. Forestry is important as is beef cattle, and Fourme d'Ambert is one of the local cheeses. Vines are planted on soils that are of granite or basalt and most is red from the gamay grape.

Most producers are smallholders and deliver grapes to the co-op. Gilles Bonnefoy is one of a few who bottles his own wine and does so from vines that are farmed organically without herbicides or pesticides. He also produces some whites which are sold as IGP Urfé.

The Sunday Times

Just the kind of juicy, medium-bodied red to enjoy slightly chilled. In France they would describe this as gouleyant —loosely translated as “easy-drinking”. It has all the red summer...

Just the kind of juicy, medium-bodied red to enjoy slightly chilled. In France they would describe this as gouleyant —loosely translated as “easy-drinking”. It has all the red summer fruit flavour and invigorating acidity you would expect of the gamay grape.

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Will Lyons

Sunday 22nd Aug 2021

The Times

Volcanic Massif Central soils explain why this summer pudding fruit-laden gamay is so tasty.

Jane MacQuitty

Saturday 7th Aug 2021

timatkin.com

I wish Iâ€™d known about someone like Gilles Bonnefoy when I lived in Clermont-Ferrand back in the 1980s, when good local wines were rare in the Massif Central. This is a wonderfully crunchy, sappy...

I wish Iâ€™d known about someone like Gilles Bonnefoy when I lived in Clermont-Ferrand back in the 1980s, when good local wines were rare in the Massif Central. This is a wonderfully crunchy, sappy summer red grown on the volcanic soils that are a feature of the region. Made from Gamay, itâ€™s a stony, unwooded delight, with plum and wild strawberry fruit and a satisfying, mineral-edged core.

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- Tim Atkin MW

Thursday 22nd Jul 2021

The Scotsman

Star buy: Rare quality find in the small appellation of Côtes du Forez, an area dominated by co-operatives. Gamay here is grown on ancient volcanic rock producing an enchanting...

Star buy: Rare quality find in the small appellation of Côtes du Forez, an area dominated by co-operatives. Gamay here is grown on ancient volcanic rock producing an enchanting Beaujolais-alternative with bright enticing fruits, attractive characterful made in a light refreshing style by small biodynamic grower Gilles Bonnefoy.

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- Rose Murray Brown

Saturday 24th Jul 2021

JancisRobinson.com

Deep crimson. Very fresh, fruity and direct. Gamay thatâ€™s smooth, a little less tart than some Beaujolais, from close to the source of the Loire in east-central France. Marcel says it ages...

Deep crimson. Very fresh, fruity and direct. Gamay thatâ€™s smooth, a little less tart than some Beaujolais, from close to the source of the Loire in east-central France. Marcel says it ages surprisingly well and regards it as a bit more rustic than Beaujolais.

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- Jancis Robinson MW

Friday 23rd Jul 2021