Edmunds St. John, El Dorado County (California) Gamay Noir 2016

 Steve Edmunds always has gone his own way, and this wine, clearly made in homage to old-fashioned (i.e., no heavy oak overlay or extended maceration) Beaujolais, is a case in point.  The wine is quite light in color and soft on the palate, with flavors that sneak up on you as you sip it.  There is more than a hint of minerality, and a long, spicy finish that gives complexity to the subtle strawberry fruit flavors.  Although it shows sufficient acidity, my guess is that it will never drink better than it does now.  But that’s okay, since now it tastes very good indeed.