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    Gamay

    Vitis vinifera L.

    Chardonnay's sibling from Burgundy, which found its home in Beaujolais.

    VIVC
    № 43771
    Berry skin
    black (noir)1
    Origin
    France1
    Synonyms in VIVC
    2201
    central lobepetiolar sinuslobes: 5cluster
    parentPinot
    parentGouais Blanc (Heunisch Weiss)
    Gamay

    confirmed by DNA markers (VIVC)

    vinoluma engraving: schematic leaf after the description (5 lobes).

    Where Gamay comes from and grows

    1. Origin (VIVC)France

    Country of origin as given by VIVC. Regions are those where the atlas sources mention the variety; not a complete list of where it grows.

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    Same parents as Chardonnay

    Gamay comes from Burgundy.2 VIVC lists Heunisch Weiss (Gouais Blanc) and Pinot as its parents, confirmed by markers.1 In 1999 researchers at UC Davis showed that 16 varieties, among them Chardonnay and Gamay Noir, descend from Pinot and Gouais Blanc.3 One of its 220 synonyms on VIVC is simply "Beaujolais".1

    Beaujolais and beyond

    Half of the world's 30,000 hectares of Gamay are in Beaujolais, where it covers 98% of the vineyard and has been planted since the early 17th century.4 The Beaujolais wine council (Inter Beaujolais) notes that granite soils seem to suit it best.4

    Before phylloxera it covered more than 160,000 hectares in France.4 The French area fell from 35,084 hectares in 2008 to 23,650 hectares in 2018.2 It ripens early, about a week and a half after Chasselas.2

    Other names

    Examples of synonyms recorded in VIVC: Beaujolais, Black Gamet, Blauer Gamet, Borgogna, Bargogna.1

    Around the world

    In 2023 it covered 23,127 hectares of bearing vineyards worldwide, ranking 36 of 1497 varieties in the database.5

    The largest area is in France: 21,326 ha (92% of the world total), across 19 countries.5

    Between 2000 and 2023 its area shrank by 39%.5

    1. France21,326 ha
    2. Switzerland1,086 ha
    3. Canada307 ha
    4. Türkiye228 ha
    5. the United States85 ha
    6. Serbia43 ha
    7. Slovenia13 ha
    8. New Zealand11 ha
    9. Brazil7.6 ha
    10. Australia6 ha
    11. Belgium4.3 ha
    12. Hungary3.1 ha

    Area, 2023

    37,76231,89626,21523,1272000201020162023

    Sources

    1. VIVC passport data: GAMAY NOIR. Julius Kühn-Institut (JKI), Geilweilerhof, accessed 2026-10-14. level 2 · checked 2026-10-13
    2. Gamay N. plantGrape (IFV / INRAE / Institut Agro), accessed 2026-10-14. level 2 · checked 2026-10-13
    3. DNA Fingerprinting Reveals Surprise in Wine-grape Family Tree (on Bowers et al., Science, 1999). University of California, Davis, 1999. level 4 · checked 2026-10-13
    4. Gamay. Inter Beaujolais (Interprofession des vins du Beaujolais), accessed 2026-10-14. level 4 · checked 2026-10-13
    5. Database of Regional, National and Global Winegrape Bearing Areas by Variety, 2000 to 2023. Anderson K., Nelgen S., Puga G. Wine Economics Research Centre, University of Adelaide (CC BY 4.0), 2026. level 3 · checked 2026-10-13