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SIGNATURE MONTANA | 21 KA A NS UF M E N S W E A R C E N T R E 411 Central Avenue, Great Falls 406.761.5010 kaufmansmenswear.com Your Men's Apparel Headquarters Your Men's Apparel Headquarters FIND US ON FACEBOOK 1116 9th Street South • Great Falls, MT 4 0 6 . 7 7 1 . 7 4 5 6 4 0 6 . 7 7 1 . 7 4 5 6 w h e a t m o n t a n a . c o m Perfect... Morning or Afternoon. RAMBLING VINES TEXT BY BRITTANY EDGREN Beaujolais for the Holiday S'il vous plait S MT Is it just coincidence that Beaujolais and holiday rhyme? Or is it destiny telling us these two belong together? Like the peanut buer to my jelly, the bacon to my eggs, and the cheese to my macaroni. Were these two made for each other? I think the answer is yes. Here's why: Tucked away between the Soane River and the Massif Central mountain range lies one of the lesser-known wine regions of France. A region frequently overshadowed by its more established, fancy, expensive (I could go on and on) neighbors to the North, Burgundy, and e Rhone Valley to the South. is region goes by the name Beaujolais and is a hidden gem amongst a country of precious jewels. In the 1970s, the Beaujolais region successfully marketed their wine as a charming light red sipper sold at a next-to-nothing price point. Not a bad idea given the wine region's neighbors Mr. and Mrs. My-Wine-is-More-Expensive-an-Yours. However, the marketing ploy was short-lived, and consumers were le with a less-than-average red wine that was rushed through fermentation and sold immediately aer boling. is method didn't quite hit the mark for wine drinkers, and the region quickly started to develop a negative reputation. Fast forward to the 1980s, a new generation of winemakers took the stage and started a Beaujolais rebirth. Contrary to what the previous generations were doing, these young winemakers cared diligently for their vineyards and used an organic farming process to ensure they were producing the highest quality of grapes possible. When the time came for fermentation, they used native yeast and sugars from the grapes to create a natural fermentation process. ey then boled the wines without adding any chemicals to influence the natural flavor. e wines they were producing were compelling and aracted aention from all over the world. ough they are still considered one of France's lesser-known wine regions to this day, they have quickly become home to the natural winemaking movement and a fashionable name in the wine community. e dominant grape used to make wine from Beaujolais is a lovely lile treasure called Gamay. Which, coincidently (or not), also rhymes with holiday and Beaujolais. Gamay is so dominant in the Beaujolais region you can almost use the two terms interchangeably. On the other hand, Gamay in other parts of the world is few and far between. I've seen bits and pieces start to pop up in California and Oregon, but the scale pales compared to what is grown in Beaujolais. Gamay is a red grape known for its juiciness, unpretentiousness, and chuggability (as some say…cough cough… my husband). It has aromas of raspberry and cherry, medium levels of tannin and acidity, and pomegranate, bananas, and blackberry on the palate. Unlike most other reds, this red wine is light-bodied and can be drunk chilled. In other words, Gamay is basically a white wine in a red wine's body. Gamay will satisfy both Team Red and Team White at your holiday get-together. Shoot, Team Whiskey will probably enjoy it too. Gamay is one of the few red wines that can span the gamut of meals when pairing. e medium tannins, acidity, and body make it the perfect hype man (or drink) for any holiday meal. Turkey, prime rib, ham, fish, spicy, sweet, salty, you name it, and Gamay will compliment it. row in a few canned cranberries and instant mashed potatoes, and you have yourself a holiday feast that the whole family can enjoy. Well, those of us 21+. Sorry, kiddos. Cheers, my friends!