Gamay is happening. Officially. Here’s a really interesting one from California. RPM is a collaboration between Nathan Roberts and Duncan Arnot Meyers of Arnot-Roberts, and Raj Parr of Sandhi Wines/Domaine de la Cote. The concept is to make Gamay from granitic soils in the sierra foothils. Two vineyards are involved, both in El Dorado County. There’s Barsotti (granitic soil) and Witter’s (decomposing granite and volcanic clay-loam), both at altitude. These are, I believe, the only plantings of Gamay Noir in California (the old plantings labelled Gamay were actually Valdigue, an obscure but not unpleasant grape variety).

Winemaking is pretty traditional, with whole clusters, partial carbonic maceration and native yeasts. First vintage was 2011.

RPM Gamay Noir 2013 El Dorado, California
Sweet, fresh, appealing raspberry and cherry fruit. Savoury and quite mineral with nice freshness, and a deliciously sappy edge to the nose. This is quite lovely and elegant. 93/100

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• Gamay 1 – RPM Gamay Noir California
• Gamay 2 – Domaine Metrat Chiroubles ‘La Scandaleuse’
• Gamay 3 – Orofino, Similkameen Valley, British Columbia
• Gamay 4 – Julien Sunier Fleurie
• Gamay 5- Radford Dale Thirst Gamay, South Africa
• Gamay 6 – Louis Claude Desvignes Morgon Javernières ‘Les Impénitents’
• Gamay 7 – Hauts de Chasselay, Coteaux du Lyonnais
• Gamay 8 – Serol Les Originelles, Cote Roannaise
• Gamay 9 – Te Mata Gamay Noir, Hawkes Bay
• Gamay 10 – Puy de Dome, Auvergne
• Gamay 11 – Beauregard Fleurie
• Gamay 12 – Antoine Sunier Morgon 2014 and Regnie 2014
• Gamay 13 – Thibault Liger-Belair Les Roucheaux 2011
• Gamay 14 – Bow and Arrow 2014 Oregon