GAMAY

The black grape that embodies fruitiness

Gamay

Also known as Gamay Noir

The Gamay grape offers wines that are light, pleasantly supple and lively. It is the only black grape variety in Beaujolais. Although Beaujolais has become its preferred terroir, this grape variety is also used to make red and rosé wines in other French regions (Loire Valley (Anjou, Touraine), Massif Central, South-West) as well as in Switzerland and even in California. Its distinguishing feature is that it is a black grape with white juice. With its slightly acidic and fresh structure, it allows the vinification of wines with little colour and little tannins. It produces fresh and fruity red varietal wines, including the emblematic Beaujolais Nouveau, but it can also offer very good structured wines, with great finesse and good ageing potential, such as the Morgon, Moulin-à-Vent and Juliénas AOCs. To discover this grape variety, nothing could be more informative than to familiarise yourself with all 10 Beaujolais Crus made from this single grape variety in order to better understand its particularities and the essence of its terroir. Lively and fleshy, these wines will please everyone!

WHERE IS IT FOUND?
In France and all over the world

FRANCE

Beaujolais, Touraine, Anjou, Mâconnais, Savoie, Jura, Burgundy

WORLDWIDE

Switzerland, US, Italy

MAIN APPELLATIONS
By type of wine: Red and rosé

The 10 crus Beaujolais : Brouilly, Côte-de-Brouilly, Chénas, Chiroubles, Fleurie, Juliénas, Morgon, Moulin-à-vent, Régnié, Saint-Amour. Saint Pourçain, Côtes Roannaise, Côtes d’Auvergne, Coteaux Bourguignons (often blended with Pinot Noir), Napa Valley

Beaujolais, Beaujolais-Village, Touraine

SHALL WE TASTE?
In the galss

REDS

Drink slightly chilled (15-16°C). Fruity and fleshy. Lightly coloured, clear and brilliant. Lively and aromatic: notes of raspberry, wild strawberry, redcurrant. Spicy and floral notes. Fine, acidic and thirst-quenching. Not very tannic on the palate, except for the Beaujolais Crus which give more structured wines. To be drunk young when blended. Some of the Beaujolais crus can be kept for up to 10 years.

ROSés

Drink chilled (13°C). Often pale, with notes of flowers and small red berries as in red wine. Fine and thirst-quenching. Good liveliness on the palate.

FOOD AND WINE PAIRINGS
Gamay and food

REDS

Cold meats, cooked or cured (Bayonne ham, ham with herbs, terrines, pâté...), offal (Burgundian tripe), marrow, paella, grilled white meat (ribs, chicken nuggets), lamb. Rarer, not very tannic red Beaujolais, match certain delicate fish (monkfish, cod, fillet of fera, red mullet), even scallops.

ROSés

Cold meats (dry sausage, smoked ham), vegetable terrines, aspic, vegetable salads, egg mimosa, niçoise salad, grilled white meat...

OUR GAMAYS...

MORE INFORMATION

The Gamay varietal wine, is a perfect intermediary to go from rosé wine to red wine. It is best served slightly chilled to appreciate its lightness (15-16°C).

For the record: In the midst of the Hundred Years War, for fear of competition with Pinot Noir, Philippe Le Hardy ordered the uprooting of the entire "very disloyal plant named Gamay" from his kingdom. Fortunately, his subjects did not obey him and so the Burgundian grape variety found refuge on the granite and silica soils in Beaujolais!

The main characteristic of Gamay from France lies in its extraordinary fruitiness and delicate tannins! Gourmet wines that are easy to drink, simple and authentic. A classic of French-style steakhouses!

Also called Gamay Beaujolais, Gamay Bourguignon, Romanèche, Petit Bourguignon, Plant Lyonnais, Lyonnaise (Allier), Grosse Dôle, Saint Romain (Côte Raonnaise), Plant Robert, Plant Robez (Vaud in Switzerland)...