Gamay, 2020. Glou Glou

The Gamay grape has a checkered past. It was once thought to be the noble grape, Pinot Noir, but differences were substantial and eventually was unceremoniously thrown out of Burgundy. We say unceremonious because the edict of 1395 declared that Gamay was, "a very bad and disloyal varietal and harmful to human creatures." That probably didn't win it a lot of fans.

Just next door to Burgundy is Beaujolais, which welcomed Gamay with open trowels as they couldn't compete with Burgundy when it came to Pinot Noir. Thus, they had to make their own way with their own grape.

Glou-Glou is a French term which denotes the sound a liquid makes as it goes down the gullet. Fairly to the point, if not a bit over done. Suffice to say that the grape has done quite well on its own, especially in the hands of owner/winemaker, Jean-Baptiste Duperray. The estate was founded in 1840 and purchased by his father in 1983. Since then they have risen through the ranks of top Beaujolais producers to become one of the most sought-after in the region.

Their organic and biodynamic vineyards are manicured to perfection. Every step is taken to assure top quality in every vintage. The grapes are hand harvested and then sorted to use only the best of the best. Only natural yeast is used as the grapes are crushed in the gentlest way imaginable. The result is a stunning array of berries and spice to match everything, from a hearty fish stew to braised short ribs.

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