Verdier Logel, Volcanique 2023, Cotes de Forez

Jacky Logel was a joiner and carpenter, and Odile was a dietician, both were from Mulhouse inAlsace nothing could have foretold their transformation into vignerons, it all began when Odile’s father retired and Jacky and Odile decided to change their lives drastically, and go to live in the Cotes du Forez region, and take over
the family estate which had been bought by her great-grandfather in 1890 (Odile’s parents’ home was in fact the building that was the local Cave Cooperative but they actually did not make wines themselves. Jacky studied viticulture and wine-making at a specialist school in Mâcon, their first vintage was in 1992. The estate comprises 17
hectares.

Côtes du Forez is nowadays part of the administrative department of the Loire, and is officially geographically part of the region of Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes. The village of Marcilly-Le-Chatel is located just beneath the ‘Monts du Forez’, which is part of the prehistorically volcanic mountain range ’Le Massif Central’. At one time this area was
also known as the ‘Le Comté de Forez’ and even ‘Le Province de Forez’. It comprises a vast plain criss-crossed by rivers- notably by the Loire River and by its tributaries. Cotes du Forez was officially recognized as an AOC in 2000. The rules only permit the use of a particular type of Gamay grape for its red and rosé wines.

The same vines are used to make this wine in every year, and they are planted in basalt or volcanic soil, so we call this wine “La Volcanique". Wonderful aromas of black raspberries, asphalt and chocolate with that familiar pepperiness on the finish that characterise the Gamays from the Auvergne & Forez.