Grape of the Month: Gamay — There’s So Much More to Beaujolais Than Nouveau!

November is here, Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and there's one grape I think deserves a place at your holiday table: Gamay!

When you hear the word Gamay, chances are you think of Beaujolais Nouveau. You know, that young, fruity French wine that makes its grand entrance every year on the third Thursday of November. It's fun, it's festive, and it's meant to be enjoyed right away.

But there is so much more to Gamay and Beaujolais than Nouveau!

If you've been passing over bottles of Beaujolais because you think they're all light, simple, fruity wines, you're missing out. Some Beaujolais wines are elegant, complex, structured, and capable of aging beautifully.

This month we are going to dive into Beaujolais, because I’d like to see a bottle on your Thanksgiving table.

Getting to Know Gamay

DNA research has shown that Gamay is a natural crossing of Pinot Noir and Gouais Blanc. Interestingly, Chardonnay and Aligoté share those same parents, making them genetic siblings. Share that with your guest at Thanksgiving dinner.

Gamay has been cultivated in Burgundy and Beaujolais for centuries. In fact, back in 1395, Philip the Bold, Duke of Burgundy, ordered Gamay vines removed from much of Burgundy, favoring Pinot Noir instead.

Fortunately, Gamay found a home farther south in Beaujolais, where it has flourished.

The grape is known for its bright acidity, relatively low to moderate tannins, and beautiful red fruit characteristics.

Depending on where it's grown and how it's made, you might find aromas and flavors of:

• Fresh cherries and raspberries
• Strawberries and red currants
• Violets and other delicate flowers
• Blackberries and plums in more concentrated examples
• Earthy, spicy, and mineral notes in more complex wines

Gamay is generally lighter-bodied, but don't let that fool you. Some expressions have surprising depth and structure.

Understanding the Four Styles and Levels of Beaujolais

Learn these 4 tiers of Beaujolais and you’ll have a great understanding of the French Gamay.

1. Beaujolais AOC and Beaujolais Supérieur - Think of these as your everyday Beaujolais wines. They generally come from the southern part of the region, where clay and limestone soils are common.

They're fresh, fruity, approachable, and perfect for casual sipping.

Beaujolais Supérieur is a designation within the Beaujolais appellation, with requirements including a higher minimum potential alcohol level.

2. Beaujolais-Villages comes from 38 designated communes, primarily in the northern part of the region, where granite and other rocky soils are common.

These wines tend to offer more concentration, depth, and structure than basic Beaujolais.

You'll still find plenty of that juicy cherry and raspberry character, but often with additional spice, floral aromas, and minerality.

This is a wonderful category for exploring quality Gamay without spending a fortune.

3. Beaujolais Nouveau - Beaujolais Nouveau is released on the third Thursday of November, just weeks after the grapes are harvested.

For those wondering, this year Beaujolais Nouveau Day falls on November 19.

The wine is commonly made using carbonic or semi-carbonic maceration, where fermentation begins inside whole berries in a carbon dioxide-rich environment.

This produces a fresh, fruity, low-tannin wine, sometimes with distinctive banana or bubblegum aromas.

Nouveau is meant to be enjoyed young. It's a celebration of the harvest, not a wine you tuck away in your cellar for the next decade. Make sure you put a nice chill on the bottle before serving.

4. Cru Beaujolais – Now we’re talking the impressive stuff.

At the top of the Beaujolais quality hierarchy are the ten crus, located in the northern part of the region.

Each cru has its own personality, influenced by soil, elevation, climate, and winemaking techniques.

These are wines that can show remarkable complexity and, in some cases, age beautifully for years.

Meet the Ten Crus of Beaujolais

I didn’t mean for this to get long an lengthy, but I want to talk about the 10 Crus of Beaujolais, so you know the expressions that will be your glass.

All 10 Crus make only dry red wine from Gamay, under the same climate and similar rules. What changes is the land: pink granite, blue diorite, schist, clay and steep or gentle slopes. They all have a personality of their own.

Saint-Amour Elegant, fruity, floral, and sometimes spicy. A romantic favorite, especially around Valentine's Day.

Juliénas Structured and spicy, with red and dark fruit, floral notes, and earthy complexity.

Chénas The smallest cru, often showing floral aromas, spice, and the ability to age.

Moulin-à-Vent Powerful and structured, with dark fruit and earthy complexity. One of the most age-worthy crus.

Fleurie Often called the Queen of Beaujolais. Elegant, perfumed, silky, and beautifully floral.

Chiroubles Delicate, bright, and aromatic, often with fresh red fruit and lively acidity.

Morgon Richer and more structured, known for cherry, dark fruit, and earthy notes. Can develop Burgundy-like complexity with age.

Régnié Vibrant, approachable, and fruit-forward, with cherry, raspberry, and subtle spice.

Côte de Brouilly Grown on the slopes of Mont Brouilly, offering concentration, freshness, and mineral character.

Brouilly The largest and southernmost cru. Often generous, fruity, and approachable.

Gamay Beyond France

Gamay does grow other places besides Beaujolais. Of course I am going to plug New York first.  It grows in the Hudson Valley and producers Whitecliff Vineyars, Millbrook Vineyard and Fjord Vineyards all make wonderful Gamay.

In the Finger Lakes region of New York, Sheldrake Point produces a nice Gamay.

Other places that grow Gamay are: Oregon, Switzerland, Ontario, Canada.

Why Gamay and Thanksgiving Are a Perfect Match

Let’s talk Thanksgiving. What I love about Thanksgiving is no two households are the same. Everyone has that one special dish that gets past down every year.

Most Thanksgiving tables have turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, green beans, some form of potato, then the family tradition dishes.

Gamay and its bright acidity and soft tannins makes it the perfect match for the table. It won’t clash with your turkey or veggies. The fresh raspberry and cherry will work real well with the cranberry sauce (whether it’s homemade or Ocean Spray Jellied Sauce).

It’s really a great wine to have at Thanksgiving and throughout the year.

What will be on my table? One or two of those three bottles of Beaujolais you see in the picture.