Each of them made a reasonably priced gamay in the acclaimed 2009 vintage; I bought each for about $12 at Astor Wines and then tasted them head to head. The light red wine has that fun, fruitiness of gamay made with carbonic maceration while having enough structure to be more than simply thirst quenching.

It is a beautiful area of France and the wines have this wonderful, laid-back character that perfectly matches the bucolic settings and the people that live there. We’re back with Part Deux of our interview with John Gilman, author of the newsletter A View from the Cellar ( part one is here ). German Riesling. just don’t get it.

Thierry Puzelat, along with his older brother Jean-Marie, is responsible for a big lineup of delicious wines from the Touraine and Cheverny appellations in the eastern part of the Loire Valley. 006 Puzelat Touraine La Tesni è res Pinot Noir , $18. Cheverny rouge must be a blend, and this is about 90% Gamay and 10% Pinot Noir.

If you're in France, for example, and you exchange $100, you walk away with only 65 Euro, and that's before commissions and fees. Reds: 2006 Clos Roche Blanche Touraine Pif, $14, Louis/Dressner Selections (blend of old vines Malbec, young Cabernet Franc). For several months now the Euro is comfortably in the 1.5 range. So there.

went with a Gamay from the Loire Valley, a glass of 2006 O. Lemasson Touraine Le P'tit Rouquin ($14 or so, available at stores that carry Dressner wines). loved the "regular" version of this Southwest France gem, so tasting the reserve was a no-brainer. We went to Rosewater , a neighborhood favorite. But I really like it.

Actually, it's a blend of Pinot and Gamay, so maybe instead I should say that it's the finest under $15 red wine of the season. This is just north-east of the Touraine appellation - you can see the area in gray below. For red wine Pinot Noir, Gamay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and the obscure Pineau d'Aunis are allowed.

couple of tidbits before we get into our real business, just to make sure that we're all on the same page: Gamay is the grape used to make red wine in Beaujolais. Yes, there is some white wine (Chardonnay) made in Beaujolais, but almost 99% of production is red wine, and it's all about Gamay. Don't worry, you haven't missed anything.

NV Renerdat-Fache Bugey Cerdon Demi-sec Petillant , $16 - this is a low alcohol (~7.5%) effervescent rose colored wine from Bugey in eastern France. Made from Poulsard and Gamay, it is sweet, fruity, and funky all at the same time, and pleasantly bubbly. 2005 Clos Roche Blanche Touraine Cabernet Franc , $13. Just yummy.