WTN: "US gamay that isn't ESJ" for $20, Alex

A couple of Turkey Day wines
2008 Evening Land Vineyards Gamay Noir Celebration Seven Springs (Eola - Amity Hills) Fairly fruit forward with dark cherry and blackberry, much darker than I would expect from gamay, but there is a really nice, vibrant, minerally acidic core that lifts the wine and makes it pretty interesting. I was happily surprised by this one.

2002 Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese (MSR) A hint of petrol, a good dose of baked white fruit, and some nicely developing creaminess. This shows a bit round at first but there is plenty of orange-tinged citrus acidity on the back end. Very lengthy and very good with turkey day.

[David M. Bueker]

2002 Germans are starting to show very well.

There are several makers of Gamay across the river in the Niagara Peninsula of Ontario, but, for some reason, the grape has not crossed the border into NY State. Some pretty nice ones too.

Just picked up a few bottles of the '08 Evening Land that I ordered last Spring. I've had the '07, which I thought was quite well-done, yet just wished they'd made the wine without the wood.

[David M. Bueker]

Gamay with wood? What were they thinking?

It's artfully done. It's just that the fruit must have been lovely before, and now it's forever marked.

There are several makers of Gamay across the river in the Niagara Peninsula of Ontario, but, for some reason, the grape has not crossed the border into NY State. Some pretty nice ones too.

Yup. I've tasted nice Gamays from Cave Spring and Malivorie in Niagara. There are some Gamays produced in the Finger Lakes, too, with Sheldrake Point and Bloomer Creek being the two that spring to mind. The former has been all over the map in quality and style, sometimes being delightful and other times just thin and sharp. Bloomer Creek is much smaller and more consistent, with a nice style that might appeal to the Beaujolais lover. I also understand that Dr. Frank's second label Salmon Run Coho Red is mostly, if not all, Gamay, made in a soft, easy drinking style.

We have good reports here about the Gamay Droit from Chateau des Charmes in Ontario.

[Jenise]

Only had one gamay from Oregon, Bill; don't recall the name though I think the name would ring a bell and yours doesn't. Anyway, it was an purple extracted mess--left me totally untempted to try another from the region. Yours sounds quite a bit better, even if overoaked.

Only had one gamay from Oregon, Bill; don't recall the name though I think the name would ring a bell and yours doesn't. Anyway, it was an purple extracted mess--left me totally untempted to try another from the region. Yours sounds quite a bit better, even if overoaked.

Maybe the BrickHouse, Jenise??
Tom

Only had one gamay from Oregon, Bill; don't recall the name though I think the name would ring a bell and yours doesn't. Anyway, it was an purple extracted mess--left me totally untempted to try another from the region. Yours sounds quite a bit better, even if overoaked.

Hi Jenise. I wouldn't say this was over-oaked but it is heavier than most gamay I'm used to drinking. As Steve points out, it is "artfully done" but not everyone might like this particular piece of art. I do like it and it is certainly worth trying. From what I understand, Evening Land has the lease on the entire Seven Springs /Anden vineyards. Dominique Lafon is "consulting winemaker" for the work there.

Personally, in some years I think Gamay and a well coopered Hungarian oak barrel make a nice match. It can give the Gamay wine a complimentary sweet oak aroma and taste and/or that slight hint of smoke that compliments the fruit. (IMHO the sweet oak could possibly actually enhance the fruit). As Bill pointed out it can also give the wine more “weight” (maybe this is due to the concentration effect of using oak) which the Gamay grape (in some years) can handle nicely.

Salute

[Jenise]

Sounds nice, I'll be on the lookout for it. Interesting to know the brand name, too, of who got those vineyards--last I knew, of course, was merely that St. Innocent *didn't* get them.

Personally, in some years I think Gamay and a well coopered Hungarian oak barrel make a nice matchSalute

What, like a Soproni kékfrankos?

I used to quite enjoy this, though it would never have had pretensions to greatness. But treated as one ought to treat any Vin vert (Beaujolais Nouveau included), swigged down out of a tumbler to accompany a rustic meal, it hits the spot.