Bright, juicy and low in tannin: the red to reach for when you want something light.
Where it grows
Gamay’s home is Beaujolais, just south of Burgundy in eastern France. Almost all of the region’s red wine is made from it. The best comes from the ten crus in the granite hills of the north, villages such as Morgon, Fleurie, Moulin-à-Vent and Brouilly.
It also grows in the Loire Valley, especially in Touraine and around Roanne, and on the shores of Lake Geneva in Switzerland. Outside Europe, small amounts come from Oregon and from Ontario and British Columbia in Canada.
How it tastes
Gamay makes light to medium-bodied reds with fresh acidity and soft tannins. Think crushed strawberries, raspberries and red cherries, often with a floral note of violet or peony. Simple Beaujolais is fruity and easy. The crus are deeper and more structured, with notes of sour cherry, pepper and stone.
Much Beaujolais is made by carbonic or semi-carbonic maceration: whole bunches ferment inside a closed tank. This keeps the fruit vivid and the tannins gentle.
What to eat with it
- Roast chicken: fresh fruit and soft tannins, never heavy.
- Charcuterie: a Lyon classic. Try it with saucisson sec or pâté.
- Mushroom risotto: the earthy side of a cru matches the mushrooms.
- Burgers and barbecue: serve it cool, it is refreshing with smoky food.
- A cheese board: soft, mild cheeses and nutty ones like Reblochon.
- Salmon and tuna: one of the few reds that works with richer fish.
A little history
Gamay is a natural cross of Pinot and the old white grape Gouais Blanc, which makes it a half-sibling of Chardonnay. It once grew widely across Burgundy. In 1395 Philip the Bold, Duke of Burgundy, ordered it pulled up, calling it a “disloyal” grape that gave too much wine of poor quality. Growers moved it south to Beaujolais, where the granite soils suited it far better.
In the twentieth century, Beaujolais Nouveau made it famous around the world. Today the attention has shifted to the crus, which can age for years.
One bottle to start with
Louis-Claude Desvignes Morgon “La Voûte Saint-Vincent” (about €19). Morgon is one of the most solid of the crus, and this one has dark cherry fruit, a firm core and a stony finish. It shows how serious Gamay can be.
Good to know
- Serve it cool, at 13–15 °C. Twenty minutes in the fridge helps.
- Beaujolais Nouveau is released on the third Thursday of November, a few weeks after harvest. Drink it young.
- On a label, look for the cru name (Morgon, Fleurie…) rather than the word Gamay.
- Gamay also makes good rosé and sparkling wine in the Loire.
More grapes → · See all twenty bottles →
Photo: Olivier Lemoine, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Prices were checked in October 2026 and can change. Please drink responsibly. L’abus d’alcool est dangereux pour la santé, à consommer avec modération.