What Is Gamay? From Beaujolais Nouveau to American Gamay

What is Gamay, really? In today’s episode, we’re taking Gamay far beyond Beaujolais and diving into it's diversity of styles: Beaujolais Nouveau, oak-aged Oregon Gamay, and even Gamay made as a white wine. If you’ve only ever tasted Gamay as a light red from France, buckle up. This grape has range. We start with the history of Beaujolais Nouveau, and how a local harvest wine turned into a global frenzy. We'll cover why it tastes like banana candy (its a real thing). Then we jump to the U.S. to dive into how American winemakers are rewriting Gamay, and Nouveau-style wine rules. 0:00 – Intro 1:12 – Beaujolais Region 1:52 – Beaujolais Nouveau History 5:06 – Winemaking Science Behind Nouveau Styles 8:00 – Paul Brady’s Fauxjolais (New York) 9:29 – Carbonic Maceration and Banana Candy & Bubblegum Flavors 13:48 – Division Wine Company Gamay (Oregon) 17:26 – Libertine Gamay Blanc 20:57 – Final Thoughts Wines Featured: • Paul Brady Wine – Fauxjolais (New York) • Division Wine Co. – Gamay Noir Lutte (Oregon) • Libertine Wines – White Gamay (Oregon) If you’re into American wine, small producers, or discovering grapes beyond the mainstream, subscribe and stick around.