I have come to realize that if you want to make good Gamay you actually have to like Gamay – you have to like its juiciness and simplicity, you have to like the flavours and the aromas, and you can’t think of it as substandard Pinot Noir. Owner of Cattail Creek, Roselyn Dyck, likes Gamay, loves it in fact, and has passed this love on to her winemaker, thus Cattail Creek is starting to become a consistently good Gamay producer. This 2011 version has pleasant aromas of cran-cherry with strawberry nuances; the palate has plenty of that signature cherry Gamay is known for – it’s juicy, fresh and fruity, and very lightly oaked in older French barrels for 4-5 months. Keep up the Gamay-love Cattail – its showing. Price: $15.95 – Rating: ****