Oh wow! This wine, that you’ve probably never heard of, is a revelation! For many years this wine was known as Napa Gamay, but it was a case of mistaken identity that took several experts and eventually DNA testing to reveal the truth. And the truth is that Valdiguié is delicious and tragically little known. Nearly extinct today in France where it is originally from, it is now becoming a bit of a darling in California in the natural wine and low intervention winemaking circles. In the past, Valdiguié, which is a prolific grower, was used as blending wine, and was not appreciated as a single varietal. Today, it is finding its place among adventurous winemakers who know how to tease out its wonderful qualities. If you like Gamay or Pinot Noir and you like chilled red wines, Valdiguié needs to be on your list. One of these wines we rated a 9 out of 10! Wines reviewed in this episode: 2023 Cruse Wine Co. Rancho Chimiles Vineyard Valdiguié, 2022 Optik French Camp Valdiguié
