There once was a wine called Napa gamay, vinified for early drinking. California grew more than 6,000 acres of the grape, until admitting that you enjoyed light-bodied wine became embarrassing. Later we learned it was not gamay but valdiguié, a varietal from the south of France. Scarce today, valdiguié is primed for rediscovery as our tastes turn from high-proof fruit bombs to lower-alcohol acid trips. Hobo Wine Co.’s Kenny Likitprakong sources fruit from cooler vineyards in Mendocino, and because 2011 was a cool vintage, the wine is just 12.1 percent alcohol. Smelling of clove and resinous herbs, valdiguié has mouth-watering acidity, and then it slaps you with a belt of fresh, dry fruit punch. Available at: Buzz Wine Beer Shop, 460 S. Spring St., downtown; $18.75. Food pairing: Bestia’s beef heart tartare.
Lou Amdur is a wine expert based in L.A.
