Gamaret & Garanoir
How to say it
Switzerland's purpose-built hybrid siblings, engineered for cool climates and now making waves across French and Italian appellations.
Gamaret and Garanoir are Swiss hybrid red grapes created in 1970 by crossing Gamay with Reichensteiner. Released commercially in 1990, they cover 380 hectares primarily in Vaud, Valais, and Geneva, and are prized for disease resistance and early ripening in cool-climate vineyards.
- Full siblings created in 1970 at the Changins/Pully research station by André Jaquinet and Dominique Maigre
- Both are crosses of Gamay and Reichensteiner; officially released to market in 1990
- Gamaret was developed for French-speaking Switzerland; Garanoir for German-speaking regions
- Highly resistant to botrytis, oidium, and peronospora, though susceptible to esca and flavescence dorée
- Gamaret is permitted in several French AOCs including Beaujolais (since 2009), Languedoc, Loire Valley, and Provence
- Both varieties are often blended together or with Pinot Noir, and appear in Dôle du Valais and L'Esprit de Genève
- Experimental plantings have been established in Washington State's Puget Sound AVA, British Columbia, and Quebec
Origins and Development
Gamaret and Garanoir were created in 1970 by researchers André Jaquinet and Dominique Maigre at the Swiss Federal Agricultural Research Station in Changins and Pully. Both varieties share identical parentage, a cross of Gamay and Reichensteiner, making them full siblings. They were registered under the research codes Pully B-13 (Gamaret) and Pully B-28 (Garanoir) before being officially released and marketed in 1990. Their development was deliberate: Gamaret was intended for French-speaking Switzerland while Garanoir was targeted at German-speaking regions. Sister varieties from the same program include Mara and Diolinoir.
- Created 1970, released 1990 by the Agroscope research station at Changins and Pully
- Gamay x Reichensteiner cross; Gamaret (B-13) and Garanoir (B-28) are full siblings
- Developed with regional linguistic markets in mind within Switzerland
- Mara and Diolinoir are sister varieties from the same breeding program
Viticulture and Disease Resistance
Both varieties were bred specifically for cool-climate viticulture, and they deliver on that mandate. Early-ripening with high vigor and generous yields, they thrive in the mountain vineyards and high-altitude sites of Vaud, Valais, Geneva, and even the Aosta region of Italy. Their standout agronomic virtue is strong resistance to the three primary fungal threats: botrytis, oidium, and peronospora. This makes them particularly valuable in wet or marginal growing seasons. The caveat is susceptibility to esca trunk disease and flavescence dorée phytoplasma, both serious long-term threats in European viticulture. Total plantings reached 380 hectares (940 acres) as of 2009.
- Early-ripening varieties with high vigor suited to cool, high-elevation sites
- Resistant to botrytis, oidium, and peronospora
- Susceptible to esca trunk disease and flavescence dorée phytoplasma
- 380 hectares planted across Vaud, Valais, and Geneva as of 2009
Wine Styles
Despite sharing the same parents, Gamaret and Garanoir produce distinctly different wines. Gamaret delivers medium to full-bodied reds with dark color, aromas of blackberry and black cherry, spice, and robust tannins. Garanoir is lighter and fruitier, with plum flavors and floral notes. Both varieties show good acidity. They are frequently blended together to balance power with freshness, and Pinot Noir is often added to the blend. Both grapes contribute to named Swiss appellations including Dôle du Valais and L'Esprit de Genève.
- Gamaret: dark, full-bodied, blackberry and spice with robust tannins
- Garanoir: lighter, fruitier, plum and floral notes with good acidity
- Frequently blended together or with Pinot Noir for balance
- Both appear in Dôle du Valais and L'Esprit de Genève appellations
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Gamaret has achieved recognition well outside its home country. In France, it is permitted in several AOCs: Beaujolais since 2009, as well as Languedoc, Loire Valley, and Provence. In Italy, it has been authorized in Valle d'Aosta since 1999. Experimental plantings have been established in the United States at Washington State's Puget Sound AVA (1999), and in Canada in both British Columbia and Quebec. These trials reflect ongoing international interest in disease-resistant, cool-climate varieties as the wine world seeks more sustainable viticulture options.
- Gamaret approved in Beaujolais AOC since 2009, also permitted in Languedoc, Loire Valley, and Provence
- Authorized in Valle d'Aosta, Italy since 1999
- Trial plantings established in Puget Sound AVA (Washington State) in 1999
- Further trials underway in British Columbia and Quebec, Canada
Gamaret offers dark-colored, medium to full-bodied reds with blackberry, black cherry, and spice aromas backed by robust tannins. Garanoir is lighter and fruitier, showing plum and floral character with good acidity. Both varieties carry fresh acidity and are often blended to create balanced, food-friendly Swiss reds.
- Gamaret (B-13) and Garanoir (B-28) are full siblings: both are Gamay x Reichensteiner crosses, created 1970, released 1990
- Gamaret approved in French AOCs: Beaujolais (2009), Languedoc, Loire Valley, Provence; Valle d'Aosta DOC since 1999
- Key disease resistance: botrytis, oidium, peronospora; susceptible to esca and flavescence dorée
- 380 hectares planted as of 2009, concentrated in Vaud, Valais, and Geneva
- Both used in Dôle du Valais and L'Esprit de Genève; often blended with each other or Pinot Noir