Gamay

Gamay is a red grape variety (90 % of the vineyard ) was planted, especially in the Beaujolais. A total of 31 771 hectares are planted in France, 60% alone in the Beaujolais region ( as of 2007).

Growing areas

In the north of the Beaujolais grape variety benefits from the slate and limestone granite floors. There are ten Grand Crus: Saint -Amour (317 ha), viticulture Juliénas (609 ha), viticulture Chénas (285 ha), Moulin à Vent ( 681 ha), Morgon ( 1,132 ha), Chiroubles wine region ( 376 ha), Fleurie ( wine region ) ( 879 ha), Brouilly and Côte de Brouilly ( 1,315 and 331 ha) and Régnié ( 746 ha). In the southern part there are both stone floors that generate Villages quality, as well as loamy soil, good everyday wines and respectable Futures produce. For Beaujolais beyond include the wines of the area of ​​Coteaux du Lyonnais.

In France, Gamay is grown outside of the Beaujolais region, especially in the Maconnais and on the Loire, where it is sold as Vin de Pays du Jardin de la France. In other areas, Gamay is sometimes (usually in a 2:1 ratio ) pressed together with Pinot Noir. In Auvergne, in the area of Riom, about ten kilometers north of Clermont- Ferrand, Department Allier in until about 30 km south department of Puy- de -Dôme in, the Gamay takes 80 % ( more grape varieties are Chardonnay and Pinot Noir as in Burgundy ) a. The vine is benefiting from the volcanic soils (eg the Petite grappes sûr basalts from Saint- Verny ) and moderate rain ( to the west shields the Chaine des Puys off the area ). Here is a cuvee with Pinot noir common. A blend of Pinot Noir, the AOC Bourgogne Passetoutgrains in Burgundy, but also the Dole de Sierre in the Swiss canton of Valais, or Salvagnin in the neighboring canton of Vaud. In Switzerland, the Gamay varietal offered AOC Gamay de Genève. There, a vineyard area of 1550 hectares was raised (as of 2007, source: Office fédéral de l'agriculture OFAG ). In Italy it is grown in the Aosta Valley.

See also the article viticulture in France, viticulture in Switzerland, viticulture in Brazil, viticulture in the United States (→ Viticulture in California, in Oregon viticulture ) and winemaking in Italy and the list of grape varieties.

Wine style

The Gamay grape is usually not pressed at the mash. It produces refreshing, light wines with sharp, sweet -like raspberry and cherry flavors. The Crus deliver something more substantial wines that can partially mature for several years. Generally Gamay is drunk young.

Origin and descent

A 1999 Carole Meredith conducted, large-scale DNA analysis with 352 varieties it can be concluded that the variety Gamay is a natural hybrid of the varieties Pinot blanc and Gouais Blanc. From the same survey showed that the varieties Aligoté, Aubin Vert, Auxerrois, Bachet noir, Beaunoir, Chardonnay, Dameron, Franc Noir de la Haute Saône, Gamay Blanc Gloriod, Knipperlé, Melon de Bourgogne, Peurion, Romorantin, Roublot and Sacy also similar to the Gamay all originated from spontaneous crosses between Pinot Blanc and Gouais. Since the genetic differences between Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir are extremely low, there is a precise specification of the Pinot - type not yet available.

The success of these spontaneous crossing is explained that the two parent varieties are fundamentally different, genetically speaking. While the varieties of Pinot family believed to originate from Burgundy, the Gouais Blanc was brought by the Romans to France. In the Rebgärten of Burgundy and the southern Champagne both varieties were for some centuries in the Joint sentence.

History

Benedictine monks of Cluny and Cistercian Abbey Clos de Vougeot brought in the 13th century the Burgundian viticulture decisively forward by recognizing the influence of terroir on wine quality and Gamay in Burgundy planted where the vine after an eponymous village on the Côte- d'Or was named. It has matured very reliable and gave high yields, making them a serious competitor for the delicate and sensitive Pinot noir was soon. So it was no coincidence that Duke Philip the Bold of Burgundy (1363-1404), who had long recognized the commercial importance of wine for export, in 1395 in a famous decree the cultivation of Gamay with the argument of its effect on human forbade health and called the grape as a " dishonorable " ( " l' infâme et déloyal Gamay ").

This displacement of the Burgundian vineyards came to the quality of Gamay but even beneficial because they are still better thrives on the granite slopes of the Beaujolais than on the limestone demolition of the Côte- d'Or.

Ampelographic varietal characteristics

In the ampelography the habit is described as follows:

• The shoot tip is open. She is white wool hairy, greenish with pinkish approach. The bronze spotted shiny young leaves are hairy only spinnwebig.
• The medium-sized leaves are three-lobed and sinuate default. The petiole is V-shaped open. The sheet is cut sharply. The teeth are set closely compared to other varieties. The leaf surface (also called lamina ) is smooth.
• The drum-shaped bunch is medium, usually shouldered and dichtbeerig. The slightly oval berries are medium in size and of a purplish- black color. The berries have a thin skin and are taste neutral.

The grape ripens about five to six days after Chasselas and is therefore applicable in international comparison as early ripening. Because of its early maturity you will find the Gamay in northern growing areas or at high altitudes.

The vigorous variety is susceptible to powdery mildew and downy mildew, does not tend to the irrigator. In wet years the berries are commonly affected by the raw rot. Since the Gamay sprouts early, he is late frost.

Despite generally medium-high income they are 80-90 hectoliters per hectare in barren slopes usually still too high, so that a reduction in yield must be performed by a specific vine training in order to achieve good quality wines. In fertile plains, the yield to 200 hectoliters per hectare increase.

Synonyms

Gamay is also known under the synonyms Bargogna, Beaujolais, Beuna di Susa, Biaune Gamaise, Blue Gamet, borgonja, Bourguignon noir, Burgundi Kek, Burgundi Nagyszemu, Carcairone, Chambonat, Complant de Lune, Erice noir, Ericey you Acher, Gamai, Gamay Châtillon, Gamai de Montagne, Gamai noir, Gamai rond, Gaman de Liverdun, Gamay à jus blanc, Gamay Beaujolais, Gamay Charmont, Gamay d' Arcenant, Gamay d' Auvergne, Gamay de Caudoz, Gamay de Gien, Gamay de la Dole, Gamay de la Meurthe, Gamay de Liverdun, Gamay de Saint- Romain, Gamay de Sainte- Foix, Gamay de Toul, Gamay de Vaux, Gamay du Beaujolais, Gamay du Gatinais, Gamay you Labronde, Gamay noir, Gamay noir à jus blanc, ovoïde Gamay, Gamay petit, Gamay piccolo nero, rond Gamay, Gamay Sainte- Foix, Gamay Thomas, Gambonnin, Game, Game Crni, Gamet, Gamet blue, Garcairone, Gros Gamai, Grosse Dole, Kek Gamay, Liverdun blue, Liverdun grand, Lyonnais lyonnaise you Jonchay, Marvandiot, melon large Blue, melon noir, melon grape black, Nagyburgundi Kek, Nicola, Olivette Beaujolaise, Petit bourguignon, petit Gamai, Petit gamay, Petit rondelet, Petite Lyonnaise, Piccolo Gamay, Plant Charmenton, Plant Charmeton, Chartaignet Plant, Plant Châtillon, d' Argenent Plant, Plant d' Evelles, Plant d' Hery, Plant de bevy, Plant de treille, Plant de Labronde, Plant de Limagne, Plant de Magny, Plant de Malin, Plant de Mont Lambert, Plant Carmes, Plant Montagny -sous -Beaune, Monternier Plant, Plant Nikolas, Plant Picard, Tondo Plant, Plant tondu, P'ti game Saumorille, Black melon grape, Sulzentaler blue, Verdunois.