   gamay is a purple-colored grape variety used to make red wines, most notably grown in beaujolais and in the loire valley around tours. its full name is gamay noir Ã  jus blanc. it is a very old cultivar, mentioned as long ago as the 15th century. it has been often cultivated because it makes for abundant production; however, it can produce wines of distinction when planted on acidic soils, which help to soften the grape's naturally high acidity.fanet, jacuqes. great wine terroirs, university of california press, berkeley (2004) pp. 60-61. ==history== left|thumb|a beaujolais nouveau wine made from gamay. the gamay grape is thought to have appeared first in the village of the gamay, south of beaune, in the 1360s.hugh johnson, vintage: the story of wine pg 133. simon and schuster 1989 the grape brought relief to the village growers following the decline of the black death. in contrast to the pinot noir variety, gamay ripened two weeks earlier and was less difficult to cultivate. it also produced a strong, fruitier wine in a much larger abundance. in july 1395, the duke of burgundy philippe the bold outlawed the cultivation of the grape, referring to it as the "disloyal gaamez" that in spite of its ability to grow in abundance was full of "very great and horrible harshness", due in part to the variety's occupation of land that could be used for the more "elegant" pinot noir. 60 years later, philippe the good, issued another edict against gamay in which he stated the reasoning for the ban is that "the dukes of burgundy are known as the lords of the best wines in christendom. we will maintain our reputation".hugh johnson, vintage: the story of wine pg 134. simon and schuster 1989 ==characteristics== [[file:la rochepot, hautes cotes du beaune.jpg|right|thumb|241px|vineyard in la rochepot, hautes-cÃ´tes de beaune. the closely spaced rows in the foreground are gamay; in 
Red_wine_grape_varieties