Some "Bargains" from the Grocery Outlet in Pleasant Hill, CA

Besides picking up a couple of nice cooling racks for $1.99 each, I threw caution to the wind and purchased two bottles each of he following:

- 2003 Covey Run Washington State Lemberger, 13.0% a.b.v., $2.99.

- 2004 Françoise Chauvenet Beaujolais A.O.C. Grand Pavois, 12.5% a.b.v., $3.99.

- 2004 Beringer California Gamay Beaujolais, 12.5% a.b.v., $2.99.

- 2003 VoloRosso Montepulciano d'Abruzzo D.O.C., 12.5% a.b.v., $2.99.

I think I'm going to try the Lemberger tonight. Let's see if the old adage, "Ya' get what ya' pay for," holds true. But, as several others in the Forum have, I've found some pretty good stuff at GO.

Late note: I know that the Beringer isn't really Gamay, but I just looked at the back of the bottle and it states that this wine is "from at least 75% Valdiguié (as expected) and Pinot Noir." Does anybody know when they have to stop using the term Gamay Beaujolais for Valdiguié? I think it's soon, April of this year I believe.

Your Grocery Outlet seems to get more interesting wines than ours does.

Don't you just love it when you stumble onto good wine close-outs like this. In the past month, one of our local grocery stores had 2001 Balcom & Moe Washington State Cabernet Sauvignon for $4.99, and 2000 Lindemans Pyrus for $9.99. Both of these were wonderful wines for the price.

-- Clark

Wow, Gary, I don't think I have seen any wines for that price in my grocery store (except maybe Andre's Sparkling wine and the jug/box stuff). Let us know how you like them.

Late note: I know that the Beringer isn't really Gamay, but I just looked at the back of the bottle and it states that this wine is "from at least 75% Valdiguié (as expected) and Pinot Noir." Does anybody know when they have to stop using the term Gamay Beaujolais for Valdiguié? I think it's soon, April of this year I believe.

Still shocked that they can actually do this! Just seems so wrong!

Still shocked that they can actually do this! Just seems so wrong!

If I'm not mistaken, Valdiguié is a grape that was re-named in recent years. It had been called Napa Gamay, as it was thought to be a Gamay clone. However, when research shouwed it to be not related. Understanding Gamy and Pinot Noir clones can be very confusing. From the Wine grape Glossary:
VALDIGUIÉ:
Warm region minor grape widely grown in the Languedoc-Roussillon region of southern France and known also under the alias name of Gros Auxerrois. Used to create backbone in the high alcohol "vin de table" red wine blends that originate from the Midi. In California it has the alias name of Napa Gamay and can produce surprisingly good wine.
GAMAY BEAUJOLAIS:
According to investigations by Dr. Olmo of Davis U. the Gamay Beaujolais variety is a widely grown, early-ripening clone of Pinot Noir that can do well in the temperate climates of the northwest U.S. and if picked promptly will produce a good red wine.

Wow, Gary, I don't think I have seen any wines for that price in my grocery store (except maybe Andre's Sparkling wine and the jug/box stuff). Let us know how you like them.

One down, three to go. My TN has been posted on the Lemberger. It was a disappointment. Although I wasn't expecting heaven in a bottle at that price, I was expecting something more than just nondescript red stuff. But that's the fun of wine tasting ... win some and lose some, but always learn some.

Late note: I know that the Beringer isn't really Gamay, but I just looked at the back of the bottle and it states that this wine is "from at least 75% Valdiguié (as expected) and Pinot Noir." Does anybody know when they have to stop using the term Gamay Beaujolais for Valdiguié? I think it's soon, April of this year I believe.

Still shocked that they can actually do this! Just seems so wrong!

Well, I figure that, as long as I know what's actually going on, I don't care. But with Valdiguié this "misnomer" goes back many years and the variety has been called Napa Gamay and Gamay Beaujolais. Maybe I'm being naïve, but I think that back in the day folks actually thought they had Gamay Noir in front of them and only later, when the DNA police started snooping around, was one able to distinguish between the Valdiguié and Gamay.

What are the chances that Napa Gamay is the same vine as Germany’s Frühburgunder? I haven't even seen leaf patterns, but Frühburgunder is thought to be a mutation of Pinot Noir, has smaller berries, ripens earlier, is less acidic and has been around for many centuries –certainly early enough to be brought to California by any number of different European settlers.



Prost!
Bill