Have you ever travelled to a new city or country and felt a connection? After returning home, did you immediately plan your next trip? Or maybe you get that strong feeling of belonging while walking down your own street, close to home. We all have a happy place—a place where we thrive.

Those of us who love wine know this is also true of grapes. Whether it is the climate, the weather conditions, the soil, or a combination of all three, some grapes are happier in one location over another. And we taste that happiness in our glass of wine.

Ontario viticulturalists have tried growing many different grape varieties over the years. Some have embraced our fiercely cold winters and short hot summers better than others. In recent years Niagara winemakers have discovered a grape that thrives particularly well in their vineyards: Gamay.

Gamay Noir is a French grape most often associated with Beaujolais, but it is also grown in several other wine-growing regions in France. However, while other French grapes found homes around the globe, it was uncommon to find Gamay beyond French borders. So it’s exciting to see more Ontario winemakers crafting Gamay wines, and it’s even more exciting to taste their success.

Rachis & Derma Gamay 2019 is from Hidden Bench winery in the Beamsville Bench VQA sub-appellation. It is a robust style of Gamay with rich notes of cherry and raspberry and a hint of black pepper. Find it at Grape Crush at 1166 Dundas St W - $40.99.