Gamay
Also known as: Gamay Noir, Gamay Beaujolais
A vinifera red (Beaujolais, France; cool-continental).
Across the consideration criteria
What it makes
Aromatic family
Tasting notes
How it grows
- Cold hardiness
- -15°F
- Ripening
- Early-season
- Vigor
- High
- Disease tolerance
- Moderate
- Drainage need
- Well
- Soil pH
- 6–7
- Graft requirement
- Graft Required
- US availability
- Rare
Considerations
Primary buds start to die near -15°F. Handles a normal cold-climate winter, but a hard freeze is a risk.
Needs roughly 2400 growing degree-days to ripen, an early-season variety (Winkler I-II). Finishes early, well before a hard fall frost.
Foliar-disease pressure is heavy for this variety, a intensive spray program in a humid climate. Plan on a full, well-timed fungicide schedule.
Susceptible to Pierce's disease. Only a threat in the warm, humid South and parts of California; cold-winter regions cure it naturally.
High vigor. Wants leaner ground and active canopy management, or fruit hides in shade.
Low heat tolerance. Bakes and loses acid on hot sites; favors cooler ground.
Moderate water demand. Average moisture needs for a wine grape.
Prefers soil pH between 6.0 and 7.0. Outside the band, lime or sulfur brings it in range.
Phylloxera-susceptible: plant grafted onto resistant rootstock.
These are intrinsic to the grape. On a real property, Folia scores each against your site; here they're shown on their own.
Grows alike
similar to growPinot Noir
Same heat band (low) · Same Winkler band (I-II)
Zweigelt
Same heat band (low) · Same Winkler band (I-II)
Blaufränkisch
Same heat band (low) · Same Winkler band (I-II)
Dornfelder
Same vigor (high) · Same acidity class
Pinotage
Same vigor (high) · Same acidity class
Chardonnay
Same heat band (low) · Same Winkler band (I-II)
Climate-adapted alternatives
more resilient picksDivico
PIWI: bred for fungal pressure · Better downy mildew + powdery mildew resistance (6 pathogen-steps improved)
Maréchal Foch
PIWI: bred for fungal pressure · Better downy mildew + powdery mildew resistance (4 pathogen-steps improved)
Petite Pearl
PIWI: bred for fungal pressure · Better downy mildew + powdery mildew resistance (4 pathogen-steps improved)
Frontenac
PIWI: bred for fungal pressure · Better downy mildew + powdery mildew resistance (4 pathogen-steps improved)
Léon Millot
Better downy mildew + black rot resistance (3 pathogen-steps improved) · Tolerates 15°F more winter cold
De Chaunac
PIWI: bred for fungal pressure · Better downy mildew + powdery mildew resistance (4 pathogen-steps improved)
Could Gamay grow on your land?
See how Gamay scores against your specific property, with local precedent, climate, and the tradeoffs for your ground.
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