Wines made from Gamay noir grapes of Quebec
Discover the best wines made with Gamay noir as a single variety or as a blend of Quebec.
Gamay is a Burgundian grape variety that has existed since the 14th century. For fear of competition with the pinot noir of Burgundy, gamay was finally uprooted and planted in the Beaujolais region, from Mâcon to Lyon. These siliceous and granitic soils suit it perfectly, and it gives its best here. But it is also planted all over France, such as in Lorraine, in the Loire Valley, in Bugey, in Savoie and in Auvergne. Gamay is early and very productive and needs to be limited so that quality prevails over quantity. Short winter pruning of the shoots and high density of vines per hectare are the methods that allow it to produce very fruity, fresh and greedy red wines. Gamay is also very popular in red wine futures, and produces wines from the Beaujolais region with very interesting character and ageing potential. The AOCs Crémant-de-Bourgogne, Mâcon, Anjou, Touraine, Rosé de vallée de la Loire, Côtes-d'Auvergne, Saint-Pourçain, Bugey, Gaillac, Côtes du Luberon... and many vins de pays are proud of it. Today, about 36,000 hectares of Gamay are cultivated in France, including 22,000 hectares in Beaujolais.
Quebec (or Québec in French) is the largest province in Canada, spanning nearly 20 degrees of latitude between 44°N and 62°N. While its Severe continental Climate makes viticulture here extremely challenging, there is indeed a flourishing wine industry. Viticulture is largely confined to the very South of the province aLong the international border with the USA. Cold-hardy HybridGrape varieties such as Marechal Foch, Seyval Blanc and Vidal dominate the Vineyards in the region.
Vega Sicilia’s announcement of its project in Galicia brings an end to months of industry speculation over where exactly the company would make its first Spanish white wines. Spanish daily newspapers El País and Cinco Días revealed news of the construction of a new winery and the acquisition of 24 hectares of vineyards by Vega Sicilia, owned by the Álvarez family. Vega Sicilia confirmed that production would initially consist of two white wines: Deiva, a white Crianza (aged 2 years); and Arnela, ...
Leading Scotch whisky maker Diageo has unveiled the eight expressions that make up this year’s Special Releases. This is a sought-after annual collection of cask-strength malt and grain whiskies. The range, selected by master blender Dr Craig Wilson, includes famous names such as Lagavulin and Talisker, fellow single malts Clynelish, Cardhu, Oban, Mortlach and The Singleton of Glen Ord. There is also a rare single grain release from the Cameronbridge distillery. Dr Wilson chose the whiskies from ...
It’s easy to forget that the southern Rhône’s four most prevalent red varieties aren’t indigenous. Grenache, Carignan and Mourvèdre all appear to originate from Spain; Syrah made its way down the river from the northern Rhône. Of the long tail of other grapes, most have their roots closer to home. Plantings have dwindled in recent years, but today local varieties are experiencing renewed interest. One that’s finding a lot of fans – both in the Rhône and further afield – is Counoise. Scroll down ...