I have become increasingly drawn to what might be called lighter-textured wines. Mind you, I’m not talking here about “light” wines, but rather, wines (especially reds) that deliver a potent flavor impact yet are neither weighty nor leaden on the palate. They are, instead, wines you want to drink by the bottle rather than by the glass.

North American Gamays-This is a category that, however premature it may seem, I believe is a coming thing for red wine lovers who seek fine drink-by-the-bottle reds. The emerging fact is that Gamay Noir can be impressive when grown in the same districts where Pinot Noir is the star.

Oregon producers delivering superb Gamay Noirs are WillaKenzie Estate and Brick House Vineyards, both of which consistently and repeatedly create wines at the quality level of the best cru Beaujolais. Try WillaKenzie’s 2006 Gamay Noir and Brick House’s just-released 2008 Gamay Noir.

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