WTN: "Uva Non Grata" Vin de France Gamay

[Robin Garr]

Really good QPR in a complex yet slurpable Vin de France Gamay ...

Boutinot 2020 "Uva Non Grata" Vin de France Gamay ($9.99)

Earthy yet refreshing, Boutinot "Uva Non Grata" Gamay lowers a backdrop of red-clay minerality behind a chorus of juicy raspberries, strawberries, and a hint of blackberries. On the palate it's fresh and bright, fresh-fruit acidity and soft tannins surrounding and giving shape to mixed-berry and tart cherry fruit. Tart acidity and tannic astringency surround complex fruit and a distinct licorice note in a fairly long finish. 12.5% alcohol. U.S. importer: Boutinot USA Inc., Sanford, Fla. (Oct. 22, 2022)

FOOD MATCH: The producer suggests a carnivorous selection: a charcuterie platter, grilled herb chicken kebabs, or sausages on the grill. Wine-searcher.com agrees, suggesting it would pair well with chicken or turkey. A quick pasta dish topped with finely chopped, roasted fennel, onion, and garlic with parsley and Pecorino Romano cheese made a fine companion.

WHEN TO DRINK: I don't see this simple (yet intriguing) Gamay as a long-term ager. Enjoy it relatively soon, and watch for the arrival of the 2021 vintage.

VALUE:
My $9 local price easily beat Wine-Searcher.com's $12 average U.S. retail, but this happy little wine is a good value at any point in the lower to middle teens.

WEB LINK:
Here's an importer's fact sheet on this wine.

FIND THIS WINE ONLINE:
Locate vendors and compare prices for Boutinot "Uva Non Grata" Gamay on Wine-Searcher.com.

Read about the Gamay grape and check this Wine-Searcher link for dozens of other wines made using this grape.

[Jenise]

"The producer suggests a carnivorous selection: a charcuterie platter, grilled herb chicken kebabs, or sausages on the grill. Wine-searcher.com agrees, suggesting it would pair well with chicken or turkey. A quick pasta dish topped with finely chopped, roasted fennel, onion, and garlic with parsley and Pecorino Romano cheese made a fine companion."

Don't you think the wine world is totally mistaken in its obsession with meat matching? I'm a meat eater, and it irritates me to death, so I can only imagine how it must rub you the wrong way. Especially sinful for a wine like gamay which in fact, in body and tone, is so friendly to meatless dining.

What does Uva Non Grata mean, anyway? Sounds like something a gynecologist treats.

[Robin Garr]

I don’t get worked up about meat and wine matching though. It works because that’s the way wine evolved. But yeah, lots of meatless matches work so well too, and get less attention.

Uva = grape, and non grata as in persona non grata, unwelcome. It’s a reference to Philip the Bold banning Gamay from Bourgogne in 1395.

[David M. Bueker]

Uva non grata sounds like a modification to an Italian menu item.

[Robin Garr]