2000 Les Cépages Oubliées. Vin de pays Jardin de la France, Henry Marionnet
This 2000 from Henry Marionnet is still remarkably youthful with a full rich, deep colour – Gamay de Bouze is a teinturier (red fleshed grape) so it naturally has plenty of colour. It has plenty of ripe, black fruits, especially blackberry, and is very much a wine to enjoy with friends. Tasted blind I would be surprised if anyone guessed that this is now ten years old.
It is also difficult to see why on this evidence Gamay de Bouze is considered to be of lower quality than 'normal' Gamay de Jus Blanc' – the white fleshed variety that is now today's standard in Beaujolais, Touraine, Côte Roannaise etc. Gamay de Bouze has partly become a forgotten variety, I think, because it is not a permitted variety in AC Touraine. Although it is understandable that the French wanted to move away from the widespread use of hybrids following the devastation of phylloxera, it has reduced the diversity of grape varieties and given wine drinkers a more limited range of flavours.
