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I Brand and Family Santa Lucia Highlands Gamay Escolle Vineyard 2023

$3299
Use code 10OFF to get 10% off 12+ bottles
California Gamay barely exists, and this one is here because Ian Brand talked the growers into planting it. The Escolle Vineyard sits at the cool northern end of the Santa Lucia Highlands on granitic soils — dominated by Chualar sandy loam, which lets roots run deep — and that combination of granite and coastal wind is about as close to Beaujolais logic as California gets. Brand has built his name on the far-flung, hard, depleted sites around the Salinas Valley that nobody else wanted to farm, so a grape nobody else is planting fits the program exactly. The result is a serious red that happens to be light on its feet. Chill it lightly and it's one of the more genuinely useful bottles you can have in the house.

Shipping

Every step of the journey is managed to uphold the integrity of each bottle.

  • Nationwide Access: Flat-rate shipping available to most U.S. states with delivery in 3-5 business days.
  • Temperature-Monitored Shipping: We closely monitor weather conditions and make informed decisions to ensure shipments travel safely, with insulated packaging and refrigerated transport available when required.
  • Wine-Specific Protective Packaging: Specialized materials designed to maintain label integrity and prevent breakage during transit.
  • Provenance Assured: All wines are maintained in climate-controlled conditions at our shop until the moment of dispatch.

Returns & Exchanges

We stand behind every bottle we sell.

  • If the wine is less than 10 years old and it is corked, you may return it to us for a full refund or exchange within 60 days of purchase. You must show us proof of purchase. We understand that you may not live near a shop and that it is difficult to ship open bottles of wine to us, so if there's any problem feel free to Contact Us and we'll work it out.
  • For wines older than 10 years, the consumer bears the risk of a faulty cork, but we accept returns of older bottles if the wine is faulty as a result of improper storage. Please come by the store or Contact Us if there is a problem.
  • We may, at our discretion and to the extent permitted by law, accept returns of unopened wines within 30 days of purchase if they were properly stored by the purchaser, subject to a 15% re-stocking fee.

View our complete return policy →

Have Questions?

Our team is here to help.

Hours

Monday - Friday: 11am - 8pm

Saturday: 12pm - 5pm

CLOSED SUNDAYS

Email: help@flatiron-wines.com
Phone: (415) 780-1405


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Antonio Galloni

90 points

"The 2023 Gamay Noir Escolle Vineyard is cheerful, crunchy and alive in the glass. The 100% whole clusters are right out in front, but instead of conveying overt stemminess, they lend a certain joie de vivre. Crunchy blood orange, limestone, white pepper and grilled herbs sizzle in the glass, wrapping up with a driven, nervy finish." —Billy Norris

Decanter

95 points

"100% whole cluster: this captivating Gamay comes from the upper slopes of Escolle, on the rockiest soils with flecks of granite. A Gamay that shows intrigue and intensity, with the elegant, fresh blue fruit lurking in the background: white pepper, crushed stone, and upright, juicy, red berries. Refinement meets a sort of sauvage rusticity. Shows incredible potential for the variety here in the SLH."

More about I Brand and Family

Wine Details

  • Grape Variety

    Gamay

  • Vintage

    2023

  • Size

    750ml

  • Farming Practice

    Organic

  • Style

    Fruity

  • Sweetness

    Dry

  • Body

    Light Bodied

Flatiron's Take

From the Importer

Tasting Notes & Food Pairings

Perfect Pairings

Roast chicken with herbs, charcuterie and cornichons, mushroom tart, grilled sausages, salmon with lentils, or a burger. Serve with a 20-minute chill.

Tasting Profile

Wild red berries and cherry with a savory, earthy edge and a whiff of crushed stone. Fine, gently grippy tannins. Dry, with a clean, snappy finish.