New wines to try
edited by Madelyn Miller, the TravelLady
 A glass of
violet-and-ink-scented Trousseau in hand, Alice Fiering read the latest
poll. America’s most popular restaurant wine is… Chardonnay. What, again?
She could not believe it. Was ABC totallyineffectual?
Fiering is the author of several books, and her Naked Wine comes out this
year; she is also a James Beard award winner for a wine story she wrote for
the New York Times.
Back to ABC
ABC stands for Anything But Chardonnay. This grassroots movement was
birthed over a decade ago when mad-as-hell drinkers had had it up to here
with the Chardonnay grape’s inevitability, and went looking for excitement
in just about anything else. In the wake of ABC came a slew of articles
announcing the new Chardonnay wannabes. Sauvignon Blanc became the next
most-favored chillable darling—until Sauvignon Blanc fatigue set in as well.
In the end, Chardonnay still ruled the roost. Apparently you can’t beat
pronounce-ability, familiarity and simplicity.
But here’s the deal: Man does not live by one grape alone. And this latest
statistic revived my inner rebel. The best weapon, I thought, is a
corkscrew. One sip of something delicious in red or white is enough
incentive to learn how to parse a strange name. Seeking out far-flung
grapes, or just interesting versions of the same old ones, will not only
imbue wine drinking with more pleasure and adventure, but will immediately
insure geek creds at your friendly neighborhood wine store or with your
favorite sommelier.
So here they are: my contenders for the grape outliers you must try right
now, with an old-grape conversion guide, and a gateway bottle to seek out.
Save us from the C!
If you like red Burgundy, you’ll love…
 Gamay (Ga-May)
Pronunciation doesn’t get any easier than this, my desert island wine. I
adore Gamay mostly because it always has something dramatic and new to say
that changes according to its soil. Its home territory is the southern
Burgundy region called Beaujolais, where it is bottled by village name,
or Cru—so you should look for a specific town name on the label. My personal
favorites are the villages of Morgon and Fleurie, and specific winemakers I
adore are Domaines Claude Desvignes, Lapierre, Clos de la Roilette, and
Foillard. Another great Gamay area is the Loire, where noteworthy producers
include Clos de Tue Bouef and Noella Morantin. Edmunds St. John is the rare
producer in America, where he bottles two under the names of Bone Jolly and
Porphyry. (from $15- $30)
Gateway Bottle: Edmunds St. John Bone-Jolly 2009, $18
If you like California Pinot Noir, you'll love…
Trousseau (True-So)
In Portugal it’s called Bastardo but in the Jura, just an hour or so’s drive
from Dijon train station, it’s Trousseau. There this special little grape
really struts its stuff in a Gamay-meets-Pinot-Noir way, with a little bit
of Malbec assertiveness thrown in. Expect delicacy but with a strong spine
and some ink. In California some smart winemakers like Arnot Roberts are
playing with it, and it is just fabuloso. But in the Jura, two of my
favorite producers are Jean Francois Ganvevat and Philippe Bornard (
$20-$30).
Gateway Bottle: Arnot-Roberts Trousseau Luchsinger Vineyard, 2009, $36
If you like Merlot, you'll love…
Frappato (Frap-pa-tow)
Just saying Frappato makes me salivate. The wines have a wild strawberry and
a forest sensuality. This is a red grape from the eastern volcanic slopes of
the island of Sicily, where its star makers are Cos, and Arianna Occhipinti.
Check out Arianna’s new charmer called Tami. ($14-$20)
Gateway Bottle: Arianna Occhipinti Il Frappato Sicilia IGT 2008, $30
If you like Cabernet Sauvignon, you'll love…
Carignan (Ca-ree-nyon)
Somehow Priorat has managed to turn this often neglected grape into
something very expensive. Outside of that mountainous area, the poor thing
gets disrespected, yet it is more to my liking. In fact, this is my favorite
red grape from California; I just love its licorice-stickness and fresh
acidity. Bring on the barbeque! Do look for the Coturri and for a blend from
Lioco called Donkey and Goat. Also, from France, look to the southwest
territories for the wines from Domaine Deux Anes or Matassa. ($13-$40)
Gateway Bottle: Domaine Deux Anes, "Premier Pas", 2008, $13.99
If you like Syrah you'll love…
Mencia (Men-Thee-Ah)
Everyone is talking about grapes from Spain these days, and drinking them is
even more fun than talking. From the high slopes of the Ribeira Sacra,
Mencia tastes like a Syrah crossed with the freshness of Gamay. From Bierzo
it is rich and deep and will snare the lover of Napa red. Some to look for
are those from Benaza, Guimaro and Descendientes de José Palacios. ($13-$20)
Gateway Bottle: Adegas Guimaro Mencia Galicia, 2008, $14.99
WHITES JPG TEXAS VERSUS NEW
YORK WINES
If you like Riesling you'll love…
Albariño (Al-Bahr-Ree-Nyo)
If you’re the kind of drinker who craves the zingy lemon edge of a pure
Chablis, but still wants the adventure of Riesling, you’ll resonate with
this grape. Its home turf is Galicia in the northwest of Spain. My personal
favorites are the wines from Benitos Santos, Pedralonga and Do Ferreiro and,
from just over the border in Portugal, Quinta do Feital. California’s Bonny
Doon makes a fun example too. ($14-$44)
Gateway Bottle: Bonny Doon Vineyard Ca' del Solo Estate Albarino, Monterey
County, 2009, $16.99
If you like dry sherry, you'll love…
Savagnin (Sav-an-yan)
This is the trickiest of the bunch, not just the most challenging to
drink—approach with caution!—but also to pronounce (try saying it as a cross
between Sauvignon and Savennières, with a drawl plunked in). Yet, I heart
Savagnin! Like Trousseau, it thrives in the Jura, and the wine is nutty,
funky, apple-skinny, honey- and quince-scented, and it often bears aromas
and tastes of sherry, although firmer and juicier. It is brilliant when
classically paired with Comté cheese, and while it is not inexpensive it’s
well worth the ride. I love these producers: Philippe Bornard, Domaine
Montbourgeau, Jean Francois Ganevat, Domaine de la Pinte. ($20-$40)
Gateway Bottle: Domaine de Montbourgeau Savagnin l'Etoile Wine -2005, $29.99
If you like Sauvignon Blanc, you'll love…
Rkatsiteli (Rick-Kat-Si-Telly)
Luckily this tongue twister of a grape survived Gorbachev’s mandate to rip
out the once plentiful vines from the Republic of Georgia. Pheasant’s Tears
is a relatively new winery in the Kakheti region where instead of barrels
they use beeswax-lined qvevri (amphora). The wine emerges with a fabulously
rough texture and a zing of acidity, laced with honey aromas,
golden-fruit-soup old-worldliness, and nectar of linden tree, bark and all.
It does need some decanting. Less exotic but equally fun is the Rkatsiteli made
in the Finger Lakes by Dr. Frank. ($15-$18)
Gateway Bottle: Dr. Konstantin Frank Rkatsiteli, 2008, $13.64
If you Like Chablis you'll love…
Melon de Bourgogne: (Meh-Lone Duh Bore-Gohn-Ya)
This is the grape of Muscadet. Made on the mineral rich banks of the western
Loire, near the sea, this has got to be one of the world’s best-kept white
wine secrets. Drunk old it’s very complex and full, or drink it young and it
is mineral and refreshing, shimmering like a sardine pulled from the water. Domaines are
many: Louvetrie, Luneau-Papin, Pépière, Andre-Michel Brégeon Guy Bossard ($12-$30)
Gateway Bottle: Domaine de la Pepiere Muscadet de Sevre Et Maine Sur Lie,
2009, $12.00
If you like Sauvignon Blanc & Chardonnay, you'll be shocked by…
Sauvignon Blanc & Chardonnay
It is possible to stay classic and still venture out into full geek
territory. For Sauvignon Blanc seek out the pure grapefruit and hay of The
Supernatural from Hawkes Bay in New Zealand, Thierry Puzelat from the
Touraine, or the what-the-hell-is-that? Sancerre wines of Sebastien Riffault.
($14-$30). In California, the Chardonnays from Donkey and Goat, Coturri,
Arnot-Roberts, Stony Hill and Liocco are all mold-breakers. ($15-$30)
Gateway Bottles: LIOCO Chardonnay Sonoma County, 2009, $17.98. The
Supernatural Sauvignon Blanc 2009 New Zealand 2009, $20.00
Madelyn Miller is a travel and food writer who’s favorite wine is Rosa
Regale (best enjoyed in a castle in Tuscany) Read her stories on
www.travellady.com,
www.carladynews.com,
www.yogayaya.com,
www.chocolateatlas.com,
www.cocktailatlas.com,
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www.teaAtlas.com
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