Jolie-Laide Wines Gamay Noir, Sonoma County, USA

Jolie-Laide’s 2024 Gamay Noir is a love letter to Sonoma County’s diverse terroir and a testament to Scott and Jenny Schultz’s dedication to showcasing varietal purity. Sourced from two high-elevation, meticulously farmed sites—Las Cimas Vineyard on Sonoma’s northern edge and a second, iron-rich plot in the Fountaingrove AVA—this Gamay is a study in balance and precision. Cool coastal breezes, volcanic soils, and Franciscan bedrock combine to give the fruit both aromatic lift and structural depth. Whole cluster carbonic maceration, foot crushing, and native yeast fermentation keep the wine lively and expressive. Aged six months in neutral barrique, it’s a pure, mineral-driven Gamay that’s light, fresh, and utterly charming.

Product Details:

• Region: Sonoma County, California
• Subregions: Northern Sonoma (Las Cimas Vineyard), Fountaingrove AVA
• Varietal: 100% Gamay Noir
• Vintage: 2024
• ABV: 12.0%
• Winemakers: Scott and Jenny Schultz
• Farming Practices: Sustainable farming at both vineyard sites
• Elevation: 800 ft (Las Cimas Vineyard); high-elevation site in Fountaingrove AVA
• Soil Types: Franciscan complex soils rich in quartz and schist (Las Cimas); Iron-rich volcanic soils with Franciscan bedrock ("Sonoma Volcanics") in Fountaingrove
• Fermentation: Native yeast; whole cluster carbonic maceration followed by foot crushing and whole cluster fermentation
• Aging: Six months in neutral barrique
• Fining/Filtering: Unfined, Unfiltered

Sensory Description:

Light, fresh, and utterly captivating. This Gamay opens with aromas of wild strawberry, summer herbs, and delicate summer flowers. On the palate, savory notes of wet earth and a persistent crushed rock minerality ground the wine’s brightness. Its delicate structure and pure fruit expression make it feel effortless, yet it’s layered with quiet complexity. As Jessica Barrand might say, “It’s like walking barefoot through a garden just after the rain—fresh, alive, and a little bit wild.”

Winemaker’s Background:

Jolie-Laide is the passion project of Scott and Jenny Schultz, a husband-and-wife team based in Sebastopol, California. Producing just 500 cases annually, their wines celebrate unconventional beauty—hence the name Jolie-Laide, meaning “pretty-ugly” in French. They are known for sourcing fruit from sustainably and organically farmed vineyards, often working directly with growers to plant and maintain specific varietals. Their hands-off approach in the winery emphasizes native yeast fermentations, minimal intervention, and transparency of terroir. This 2024 Gamay Noir is a striking example of their philosophy, showing how this beloved Beaujolais varietal can thrive in Sonoma’s cool, high-elevation vineyards.

Serving Suggestions:

Serve slightly chilled at 54–58°F. This Gamay Noir is an easy partner for charcuterie boards, roast chicken, or a lentil and beet salad. Its bright acidity and delicate tannins make it an ideal companion to a simple picnic spread or a cozy weeknight dinner. We love it with grilled sausages and mustard or a mushroom tart fresh out of the oven.