Re: Chill Gamay Beaujolais?

Ian, Though the headers don't reveal a location, I'll hazard a guess that the OP is from the US, where light-bodied red wines are produced with "Gamay Beaujolais" on the label. The grape used is NOT true Gamay (though originally thought to be Gamay) but a clone of Pinot Noir, which may help explain why Europeans would not be familiar with it... FWIW, the name will cease to be legally used in 2007:

Mark Lipton

First, may Ivan go someplace ELSE!

Second, if I recall correctly, the term "Gamay Beaujolais" will soon be phased out of US wine lingo, along with "Johannisberg Riesling." There were several C Coast CA producers, who called their grape Gamay Beaujolais, but I have not seen it in a while. As I recall the few (J Lohr comes to mind), they were light, Noveaux Beaujolais in style, and if this is the wine, I would chill it even below cellar temp.

Those few that I tasted, were very floral, with light strawberry fruit, and good for picnic wines, if one did not have a Tavel.

Hunt

Hunt sez:

Shoot, you guys (and the US gummint) have blown my cover!!!!

'Gamay Beaujolais' , in California, has for 30 years been known by experts as a lighter clone of Pinot Noir----but NOT for the rest of der vein-drinkin' population!

For many years, when I was a California winemaker, I cherished the thought of coming home from the supermarket with an interesting, but cheap, "burgundy".

I'm not talking about nouveau, carbonic macerated Gamay---with its unctious strawberry aromas and popcicle flavors.

That's France and bicyclettes, and helicopters in November---and gratefully, that 1980s custom is dead. But I once used it as a foil for purchasing California Gamay Beaujolais, PRECISELY because other customers thought it was the wrong thing.

We're talking about Gamay Beaujolais, a clone of Pinot Noir, which is made into a "straight" wine, albeit light.

California 'Gamay Beaujolias', when it's bad, is just bad wine. But when it's good---REALLY good, as in the old days of Beaulieu Napa Valley Gamay Beaujolais, in the 1980s---it resembled a poor man's Volnay, or Monthelie, but at $3. ! ! !

I regret and resent that this "winemakers' secret" is now being dissected and put to rest.

Even some of the the current versions of Gamay Beaujolais, from mass producers, can be delightful, in the context of a light French Burgundy.

So what's going on in this world? Is the Pinot Noir world now forced to emulate bold and tannic Chambertin (at consequent prices)?

Why can't we have a cheap, light Pinot Noir for quaffing?

--Bob

Just as a footnote does this discussion about the meaning of Beaujolais Gamay prove the old saw about a people divided by a common langauge?

Timothy Hartley