I was in Aldi the other day, and browsing their wines. I guess that meant I was on a business trip. I was looking for something promising, or at least different, and affordable-ish. I spotted this. For those who don’t know, Gamay is the grape in Beaujolais. It’s also the grape banned by the Duke of Burgundy in 1395, as a ‘disloyal’ plant. Really. This has given me something of a soft spot for the grape. It’s grown in several places in France apart from Beaujolais. Anyway, seeing a Gamay in Aldi basically made my choice for me. So here we are.
In the glass
Medium ruby. Heavy notes of purple towards the rim. It’s clear and looks like wine. It’s nice looking, but nothing that makes me think ‘oh, Pretty!’
The nose
Red fruits. Berries, I think. Can’t be any more specific than that. I then wrote something that I think says ‘none of your classic berry smells.’ My handwriting can be a bit messy sometimes. But I could definitely smell stuff. ‘Yay!’ my notes helpfully add.
The palate
Medium-bodied. The fruits are still red, but a darker shade than on the nose. The tannins are dusty, but not overly so. Not really much more to say.
Rating
Yummy overall, It’s Wine on the visuals. To be blunt, it’s nicer than I was expecting. It’s not a top of the range wine, but it’s not bad at all.
Sustainability
No information. Vegan.
The technical info and such
13.0% ABV. Gamay. £8.69 from Aldi.
The other stuff
Phillip, the Duke of Burgundy in 1395, is the reason Burgundy wine is made from only Pinot Noir. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t get red wines made with Gamay that are from Burgundy. You just can’t call them Burgundy. Passetoutgrains is from the region, and is a blend of Pinot Noir and Gamay. It’s from Bourgogne, you just can’t call it Burgundy. Confused yet? (And it’s actually more complicated than that.)
Not a bad drop of wallop