Gamay is a purple-colored grape variety used to make red wines, most notably grown in Beaujolais and in the Loire Valley around Tours. Its full name is Gamay Noir à Jus Blanc. It is a very old cultivar, mentioned as long ago as the 1400s. It has been often cultivated because it makes for abundant production, however it can produce wines of distinction when planted on acidic soils, which help to soften the grape's naturally high acidity.Fanet, Jacuqes. Great Wine Terroirs, University of Cali… (More on Gamay)