For Over 100 Years, California Winemakers Called This Grape by the Wrong Name

Before the establishment of the American Viticultural Area (AVA) system, winemaking in the United States was a bit like the Wild West. There was the challenge of cultivating European grape vines in American soil, not to mention phylloxera to contend with. Then there was the fact that, sometimes, winemakers didn’t even know what grapes they were actually working with — as was the case with Valdiguié, a little-known grape native to France’s Languedoc-Roussillon region.

The grape was first commercially cultivated in France in 1874 and made its way to California in the late 1800s, before the U.S. had any regulations in place to prove its origin. Given that wines made from the grape have soft tannins and an abundance of juicy red fruit notes, researchers at the University of California Davis (UC Davis) initially identified it as Gamay, another light-bodied French grape predominantly used to make Beaujolais. By the 1940s, Californian producers were using the term “Napa Gamay” to describe wines made from the perceived variety. Slightly confusing matters was the fact that there was another grape grown in California also thought to be Gamay, which winemakers referred to as “Gamay Beaujolais,” despite the fact that the Beaujolais region was awarded an AOC in 1937.

Considering the region’s AOC status, winemakers must adhere to a strict set of rules regarding grape variety and winemaking methods in order to label their wines Beaujolais. And the wines actually need to be made in Beaujolais. Naturally, the Californian designation of “Gamay Beaujolais,” which was altogether different from “Napa Gamay,” led to some understandable confusion.

It wasn’t until the late 1960s that researchers at the Foundation Plant Material Service (FPMS) at UC Davis were able to identify what was being called “Gamay Beaujolais” as a clonal selection of Pinot Noir, not Gamay. It was at this same time that they determined the grape referred to as “Napa Gamay” was actually the true Gamay variety. But as it would turn out, that wasn’t correct, either.

After the formation of the AVA system in 1980, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) — now known as the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) — put forth an initiative to evaluate the vines grown in the U.S. to form an authoritative list of grapes used to make American wine. It was at this time that French ampelographer Pierre Galet correctly identified that the grape known as “Napa Gamay” was actually Valdiguié, a fact later verified by the FPMS via DNA fingerprinting.

In 1984, the Winegrape Varietal Name Advisory Committee — which was established by the ATF to carry out the analysis — published its findings. “At present, there are substantial plantings of two varieties which include the name Gamay,” the report reads. “Neither are the true Gamay (or one of its several clones) grown in Europe.”

Even with the proper identification, wines made from both Valdiguié and the Pinot Noir clone continued to be labeled as both “Napa Gamay” and “Gamay Beaujolais,” respectively, for decades, despite lobbying from the French to eliminate the latter term. Finally, in 1994, the ATF published a notice that put conditions on the use of the term “Gamay Beaujolais.”

As stated in Notice No. 793 (59 FR 15878), “The evidence considered by ATF established that ‘Gamay Beaujolais’ was not a true varietal name and that the two grape varieties which have been called ‘Gamay Beaujolais’ are not Gamay grapes.” As such, the government body concluded that “Gamay Beaujolais” ought not to be listed as an official grape variety name.

In 1996, the ATF published a final list of grape variety names approved for use on American wine labels, with “Gamay Beaujolais” notably absent. “Napa Gamay,” rather than serving as a distinct variety, was listed as a synonym for Valdiguié, though its use was heavily restricted on labels. According to the final ruling published on Feb. 7, 1996, “Napa Gamay” was only legal to use on labels bottled before Jan. 1, 1999.

Finally, in May 1997, the ATF outlawed the use of the term “Gamay Beaujolais,” allowing winemakers a 10-year phase-out period to make the necessary changes. In the interim, any wine labeled “Gamay Beaujolais” was required to have a statement reading, “Gamay Beaujolais is made from at least 75 percent Pinot Noir and/or Valdiguié grapes.” Since April 2007, all use of “Gamay Beaujolais” on wine labels has been expressly prohibited.

So, while some producers may still refer to their Valdiguiés as “Napa Gamay” in jest, they aren’t legally able to label their wines as such. And that’s proven to be a good thing — for Valdiguié especially. Recently, a number of renowned California producers — including VinePair Next Wave Awards 2024 Winery of the Year Outward Wines — have put forth single-varietal Valdiguié wines to give the grape its much needed moment in the spotlight.

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