Wines made from Gamay noir grapes of Côtes de Millau
Discover the best wines made with Gamay noir as a single variety or as a blend of Côtes de Millau.
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.
Côtes de Millau is the easternmost of the appellations associated with the wine region of southwest France. The vineyards are located on steep, terraced slopes in the Deep, gorge-like Tarn valley in the Aveyron department. Light, supple red wines made from Gamay and Syrah are the most important wines produced here, although the appellation also covers white and rosé wines. The Côtes de Millau watershed covers 17 communes in the Tarn valley.