gamay

noun

ga·​may ga-ˈmā How to pronounce gamay (audio)
ˈga-ˌmā
often capitalized
: a light dry red table wine made from the same grape used for French Beaujolais
gamay rosé
also : the grape

Examples of gamay in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The wine’s style and flavor profile can also provide clues—bright red fruit flavors suggest pinot noir or gamay, whereas robust, dark fruit flavors might indicate cabernet sauvignon or syrah. Rachel King, Forbes, 8 Sep. 2024 These bottlings include a gamay and her first sparkling wine, from the Savoie grape mondeuse. David Rosoff, Los Angeles Times, 11 July 2024 Infinite Air Castles combines gamay and dolcetto into an Oregon echo of Beaujolais. Dave McIntyre, Washington Post, 14 Mar. 2024 Morgon, Beaujolais, $30 Morgon is one of the cru appellations of Beaujolais and produces sturdy, earthy red wines from the gamay grape. Dave McIntyre, Washington Post, 29 Feb. 2024 Pinot noir is spiced with about 15 percent gamay to yield a light-bodied red that sings with cherry, blackberry and spice, lingering through a long finish. Dave McIntyre, Washington Post, 15 Feb. 2024 Made with organic gamay grapes (the same grapes used to make Beaujolais), the palate is generous with strawberries, raspberries and an addictive creamy texture. Katie Kelly Bell, Forbes, 14 Feb. 2024 The gamay grapes have relatively thick skins, and the colour of a young gamay wine is medium dark with a hint of violet. Per and Britt Karlsson, Forbes, 17 July 2023 The term is often mentioned in the same breath as Beaujolais Nouveau, early-release French gamay; but nowadays, carbonic approaches are practiced all over the wine world, and applied to a variety of red grapes. Ellen Bhang, BostonGlobe.com, 7 June 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'gamay.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French, earlier gamet, going back to Middle French gaamez, after Gamay, village in St. Aubin commune (Côte d'Or), France

First Known Use

1833, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of gamay was in 1833

Dictionary Entries Near gamay

Cite this Entry

“Gamay.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gamay. Accessed 6 Oct. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!