WineGuessrRed grape variety
Gamay
Also called Gamay Noir à Jus Blanc
Gamay is a red grape from Burgundy, France, known for light, fruity wines with strawberry, raspberry and violet notes. It makes all red Beaujolais, from the ten crus to Beaujolais Nouveau. In 1395 Duke Philip the Bold banned it from Burgundy's best vineyards.
| Color | Red (black-skinned) |
|---|---|
| Origin | Burgundy, France (village of Gamay, near Beaune; a cross of Pinot and Gouais Blanc) |
| Body | Light to medium |
| Acidity | High |
| Tannin | Low |
| Typical aromas | strawberry, raspberry, cherry, violet, lilac, banana, black pepper |
| Key regions | Beaujolais (France), Loire Valley (France), Burgundy (France), Switzerland, Niagara Peninsula (Canada), Oregon (United States) |
Origin and history
Gamay is believed to have originated in the village of Gamay, south of Beaune in Burgundy, around the 1360s. Like Chardonnay, it descends from Pinot Noir and Gouais Blanc. After the Black Death, growers liked it because it ripened about two weeks earlier than Pinot Noir and was easier to grow. Burgundy's dukes disagreed: in July 1395 Philip the Bold outlawed the disloyal Gaamez, and some sixty years later Philip the Good renewed the ban to protect the region's reputation. Pushed south, Gamay found its home on the granite hills of Beaujolais. Its full name is Gamay Noir à Jus Blanc, black Gamay with white juice.
Where it grows
Beaujolais is by far Gamay's main region. The ten crus, at the northern end, make its most serious wines: Saint-Amour, Juliénas, Chénas, Moulin-à-Vent, Fleurie, Chiroubles, Morgon, Régnié, Brouilly and Côte de Brouilly. In Burgundy proper it is blended with Pinot Noir in Bourgogne Passe-Tout-Grains. The Loire Valley grows it in Touraine and Anjou, sometimes blended with Cabernet Franc and Côt. Switzerland plants it around Lake Geneva. In North America it grows on Canada's Niagara Peninsula and in Oregon's Willamette Valley, where Amity Vineyards introduced it in 1988.
Taste, wine styles and food
Gamay makes light-bodied, fruity red wine with naturally high acidity and low tannin. Much Beaujolais is made by carbonic maceration, whole-berry fermentation without oxygen, which softens acidity and brings bright aromas of crushed strawberry and raspberry, with lilac and violet. Beaujolais Nouveau, released on the third Thursday of November since the INAO fixed the date in 1985, shows this style at its youngest, often with banana and pear-drop notes. Cru wines such as Morgon and Moulin-à-Vent are firmer and can age, developing sour cherry, black pepper and dried berries. Served slightly cool, Gamay suits charcuterie, roast chicken, pork, salmon, lentils and soft cheeses.
Wines made with Gamay (10)
WineGuessr lists 10 wines made with Gamay, all from France.
- BrouillyAOC · Saint-Lager, Beaujolais · Red
- ChénasAOC · Chénas, Beaujolais · Red
- ChiroublesAOC · Chiroubles, Beaujolais · Red
- Côte de BrouillyAOC · Odenas / Saint-Lager, Beaujolais · Red
- FleurieAOC · Fleurie, Beaujolais · Red
- JuliénasAOC · Juliénas, Beaujolais · Red
- MorgonAOC · Villié-Morgon, Beaujolais · Red
- Moulin-à-VentAOC · Romanèche-Thorins, Beaujolais · Red
- RégniéAOC · Régnié-Durette, Beaujolais · Red
- Saint-AmourAOC · Saint-Amour-Bellevue, Beaujolais · Red
Gamay: questions and answers
What grape is Beaujolais made from?
Red Beaujolais is made from Gamay, including the ten crus such as Morgon, Fleurie and Moulin-à-Vent, and Beaujolais Nouveau.
What does Gamay taste like?
Gamay tastes of fresh strawberry, raspberry and cherry with floral violet notes. It is light, juicy, high in acidity and low in tannin.
When is Beaujolais Nouveau released?
Beaujolais Nouveau is released on the third Thursday of November, a uniform date set by the INAO in 1985.
Why was Gamay banned in Burgundy?
In 1395 Duke Philip the Bold outlawed Gamay to protect the quality and reputation of Burgundy wine, favouring Pinot Noir. Philip the Good renewed the ban about sixty years later.
What are the 10 crus of Beaujolais?
The ten Beaujolais crus are Saint-Amour, Juliénas, Chénas, Moulin-à-Vent, Fleurie, Chiroubles, Morgon, Régnié, Brouilly and Côte de Brouilly, all made from Gamay.
Other red grapes
All grape varieties →Sources: en.wikipedia.org, en.wikipedia.org, en.wikipedia.org
Last reviewed October 2026.