To answer the question right off the top, yes. 

Long Island has Gamay.  Pindar Vineyards in Peconic, NY has a Gamay Noir.  In fact they are the only producers on Long Island, that I could find.

The theme and object of this Wine Blogging Wednesday come from Frank Morgan of Drink What You Like.  He gives us this assignment:

Stop by your local wine shop – pick up a bottle or two of Gamay-based wine, drink it, think about it, stare at it, and share your thoughts about it in written form.  If you’re new to the wonderful world of Gamay, look for wines from your region first.  If you’re unable to find a local Gamay, search out imports from Lynch and Dressner.  If you’re a Gamay fan, please try a new one that you’ve never had before – especially one that’s rare and/or quirky.

Then, on or before Wednesday, April 21st write about your Gamay tasting experience and post it on your blog, or in the comments section here.  Since we are an all-inclusive group, I encourage you to participate even if you don’t have a blog.  You can email me your tasting notes, and I’ll include them in the WBW 68 roundup.

I had this bottle of Pindar Vineyards 2008 Gamay Noir ($10.99) that I pick up the last time I was out there for a visit, wanting to try something I have not hat in a while and something I have never had from Pindar Vineyards before.

But to follow the rules, I wanted to taste this along side another Gamay from where the Gamay grape comes from, Beaujolais, France.  I am sure you all know Beaujolais’ Nouveau from George Duboeuf. 

But after stopping at two wine shops along the way, no one had a single bottle, except for the Nouveau Duboeuf kind.  So there went my idea.

Before I get into the tastings, a short history on the grape.  It is a purple colored grape used to make red wine.  It is notably grown in the Loire Valley and Beaujolais regions of France.  The original name of the grape is Gamay Noir à Jus Blanc.  It is believed to have dated as far back as the 1300’s.  It does make a large amount of fruit when grown correctly.  The wine that the grape becomes is a very fruity with light body.  The wine is usually an early wine that goes through very little aging.  It is high in acidity.

Thinking back, I would have to say that this may be the earliest wine I every remember drinking.  As a teen, I recall Christmas Day Dinner at the Gorton family house in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn and there were a bottle or two of these on the table.  Not realizing that this was probably released about a month before.  It was the Nouveau Deboeuf  brand.

As I grew up and expanded my horizons, I forgot about this wine and honestly never bought another bottle, because I just was not a fan.

Then information about this Wine Blogging Wednesday came about and I really wanted to do a side by side, but it’s not meant to be.

On the nose I was getting cherry, strawberry  and a touch of mint.  There was a little faint orangey citrus note and something that reminded me of banana peel.

The taste was bringing some cranberry, and strawberry along with a spicy orangey element.  There was also a hint of smoke to it to.

It was bone dry and very acidic.  There was no trace of tannins and I found it to be a little more than light body.

There was a very long finish to this wine that ended with a hint of vanilla mint.

Yes this wine was fruity, but not fruit juice.

I am not sure after this if I would consider myself a gamay fanatic, but I was very happy to find a gamay in my back yard.  I would not consider myself a gamay expert, but Long Island’s Got Gamay!

Thanks to Frank Morgan of Drink What You Like for hosting and thanks to Lenn Thompson of The New York Cork Report for starting this 68 months ago.