Ma Garance Voyageuse 2024

For Xavière Hardy, 2024 was a near-impossible vintage, losing up-to 60% of her yields to incessant rain and cold. Yet the resulting wines are some of her finest.

Ma Garance Voyageuse is an assemblage of three Grolleau vinifications: 1/3 de-stemmed and aged in old barrels; 1/3 a carbonic maceration aged in stainless steel; 1/3 in tank layered with 30% whole bunch to 70% destemmed. Xavière believes this process lends the wine balance and synergy. And we don't disagree! The 2024 is wonderful: concentrated blue and black fruit, light but dense, with just the finest frame of tannin, ending with an unexpected balsamic lick. Northwest Loire via the Rhone? We didn't know Grolleau had it like this. Zero additions. Pure wine.