This is our traditional New Year value wine that still satisfies the palate without draining the pocketbook.

Valdiguie (pronounced val-de-gay) used to be called Napa Gamay or Gamay Beaujolais in California, but DNA testing has revealed it is not the Gamay Noir variety used in French Beaujolais.
However, the native Rhone grape does make a delightfully soft and light wine in the Beaujolais style. This Monterey California wine spends no time in oak and is fermented in a style that keeps the fruit fresh. Best served young and slightly chilled. It’s also an excellent choice as a first step for those who resolve in 2009 to move from white wine to red.

Sherry: “Soft, light and fruity with blackberry and strawberry flavors” (3 stars)

Chris: “Simple black cherry and blackberry.” (3 stars)

Available locally for about $6.

Coming next week: Yalumba Shiraz Viognier

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