Wines made from Gamay noir grapes of Lavaux
Discover the best wines made with Gamay noir as a single variety or as a blend of Lavaux.
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.
The wine region of Lavaux is located in the region of Vaud of Switzerland. Wineries and vineyards like the Domaine Louis Bovard or the Château de Chillon produce mainly wines white, red and pink. The most planted grape varieties in the region of Lavaux are Chasselas, Pinot noir and Gamay noir, they are then used in wines in blends or as a single variety. On the nose of Lavaux often reveals types of flavors of peach, cheese or microbio and sometimes also flavors of tree fruit, floral or citrus fruit.
Most Côtes-du-Rhônes are juicily drinkable on release, but certain Rhône appellations produce wines that go on developing for decades. ‘We are lucky,’ says Vincent Avril of Clos des Papes in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, ‘we can make wines that can age – so I think we should.’ Young wines offer vibrancy, brightness and refreshment, but only in maturity do they reach their full aromatic complexity and textural harmony. Scroll down to see Matt’s top 10 mature Rhône wines for drinking this Christmas { ...
In 2007, Frenchman Frédéric Albert founded the Compagnie de Transport Maritime à la Voile (CTMV) with the goal of decarbonising the wine industry. The firm managed to sail its 50m-vessel four times from France to Ireland, England and Canada, before going into liquidation as a consequence of the 2008 economic crisis. Despite the failure, Albert’s pioneering project was a sign for things to come. In 2013, Le Havre-based TransOceanic Wind Transport (TOWT) followed in CTMV’s footsteps sailing some 3 ...
A trade deal signed by the UK and New Zealand this week promises benefits for winemakers, merchants and drinkers, according to industry bodies. Miles Beale, CEO of the UK Wine & Spirit Trade Association (WSTA), said the deal means the country’s wine lovers ‘will have greater choice’. He said it was also ‘a very good deal for the wine and spirit industry’. New Zealand Winegrowers, representing the country’s wine sector, also welcomed the free trade deal, which was signed in London yesterday ( ...