Ep 341: The Grape Miniseries -- Gamay

<p>This week we return to our grape miniseries to cover an old Burgundian variety, one of the 20 kids of Gouais Blanc and Pinot, that emerged around the 1300s. We cover its fascinating history; we talk about how it survived defamation by Dukes, centuries later became one of the most popular wines in the world (Beaujolais Nouveau), fell from grace and now is securing its place as a serious, multifaceted grape that makes complex, interesting wines (especially in its ancestral home of Beaujolais, France).</p> <p><img style= "display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src= "https://assets.libsyn.com/secure/show/45638/Beaujolais-Vigne-en-t-Gillet-Inter-Beaujolais-copyright-18mf-2.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="300" /></p> <p>Here are the show notes:</p> <p><strong>The Gamay grape and its ideal terroir</strong></p> <ul> <li>Often called Gamay à Jus Blanc (Gamay with white juice) to distinguish it from 2 teinturiers (grapes with red juice) that mutated from it.</li> <li>The grape is early budding, ripening, and not vigorous if grown on the right soils and in moderate temps.</li> <li>Gamay is predominantly grown in the Beaujolais region, just south of Burgundy. Its highest expression is when it grows on granite soils in the northern area of Beaujolais, in 10 superior communes. These are, listed in order of lightest to heavy: Chiroubles, St. Amour, Fleurie, Régnié, Brouilly, Côte de Brouilly, Juliénas, Chénas, Morgon, Moulin à Vent</li> </ul> <p><img style= "display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src= "https://assets.libsyn.com/secure/show/45638/map-2.png" alt="" width="272" height="390" /></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><a href= "https://www.discoverbeaujolais.com" target="_blank" rel= "noopener"><em><span style="font-size: 8pt;">Source: www.discoverbeaujolais.com</span></em></a></p> <p><strong>Gamay Wines</strong></p> <ul> <li>Wines of Gamay are high in acidity, can be light or dark in color, can be rough in tannins or silky (all depends on terroir), have red berry, cherry, blackberry