WTN: 2008 Angels Gate Winery Gamay Noir (VQA)

$12.95 on regular list in the VQA section. 12.5% alc./vol. Solid natural cork closure.

Pours a clear, medium, translucent ruby colour. Plenty of legs in the glass. Spicy, light red fruit and berry nose (mainly cherries), with an appetizing meaty hint. Tart and crisp on the entry with very pleasing structure, including some nice medium-weight tannins. Very pleasing oak spice rides the wave from the fore-palate right across the mid-palate. Cleansing, dry, warm texture. Zippy acidity. Very good with food of all kinds. Mid-weight, and clean.

I really enjoyed this, despite traditionally not having been that much of a fan of Gamay. In recent years I've been trying more of them and think that these lighter-bodied red viniferas can really make good wine in Ontario. For example, Pelee Island's Gamay / Zweigelt blend is a case in point of very forward regional-blend thinking that works.

IMO, the oak aging in large French barrels also added a pleasant dimension to the Angels Gate Gamay, helping to build its overall structure. I'd buy this again for sure.

[David M. Bueker]

Great to see you around Paul. I've had two Gamay wines from Canada. It's a variety that seems to have promise. How do the vines themselves handle the cold winters?

Hey David,

Not actually sure how well the vines acclimatize here. Cornell lists several clones of Gamay (including Gamay Beaujolais) as "hardy", and they're in NY. I'd say that in average winters, the vines do alright. I'd be concerned, though, when we get those typical continental hard freezes every now and then: part of why I'm such a hybrid fanatic.

Gamay and Zweigelt together make a really nice, spicy / cherry blend. Give Pelee Island's version a try sometime if you can. I'd love to know what you think about it.

The few wines I have tasted from Angels Gate have been top notch so will try to find this gamay.

The few wines I have tasted from Angels Gate have been top notch so will try to find this gamay.

Bob,

When you do, a word of advice: Decant it for about an hour. It will really open up.