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It is sort of the Malbec or Grenache of Sicilia, providing zest and acidity to blends with Nero d’Avola (and is an essential part of Sicilia’s first DOCG, Cearasuolo di Vittoria). On it’s own it is a great little BBQ wine…
Avanthia makes a great Mencia wine from very old vines in vineyards in Spain just north of Portugal. According to the conglomerate’s web site (Jorge Ordonez appears to have a big part in the group), the grape is a very traditional indigenous varietal that was about to disappear.
All among grapes I fell in love with when I first fell in love with wine. All grapes I keep fighting to get to the Midwest. If only the importers would look past the coasts.
Pairing Lagrein with smoked fish remains one of the best food/wine things I ever did as a food/wine professional.
Woah. I would never have thought of that. Are you talking the lighter entry-level lagreins or the heavier riserva stuff?
I can see Mayr-Nusserhof and sable going well together.
I was happy to see this article and I hope that more people start thinking outside of the box with what’s in their glass. However I would have liked to see Gaglioppo on the list!
I put this in another thread, but probably relevant here as well.
No doubt this has come up in the Old Vine Zin thread (I haven’t followed it that closely), but I came across some interesting wines from San Benito County yesterday at Kenneth Volk in Santa Maria. His Negrette from Caleri Vineyard in San Benito County is fairly well known in the wine nerd world–apparently the variety is only grown in San Benito County in CA (maybe a few other places?) and near Toulouse in France. I’ve had this before, but yesterday came across some even more fascinating esoterica.
There’s an 85 year old vine Mourvedre from Enz Vineyard in Lime Kiln Valley, a sub-AVA in San Benito. I didn’t take careful notes–I was too excited by all of these interesting wines–but it definitely had the concentration, spice and funk of a good Mourvedre. Mourvedre isn’t that rare, but vines this old are! Volk also has Cabernet Pfeffer from Siletto Ranch in San Benito County, which to me had a very peppery if not tobacco-y aromas. Supposedly this is actually the varietal Gros Verdot, though an alternate explanation claims it’s a cross of Cab S and another grape variety by a guy named Pfeffer. I have no idea on the age of the vines though. Made me think of a Chinon perhaps or Blaufrankisch.
Another interesting one is his Touriga from a vineyard in the Templeton Gap in Paso Robles, Pomar Junction. Definitely young vines. This is by far the most floral and spice laden red wine I’ve encountered next to Lacrima di Morro d’Alba. Touriga I suppose isn’t that rare, but finding it is a varietal wine isn’t something you see every day.
As a side note on Kenneth Volk, the guy is clearly driven to explore these rare grapes. I don’t think every wine he makes works (his Viognier was bordering on raisined flavors, for example, though that will have appeal to others)–it’s probably too hard to get all these disparate vineyards exactly as he’d like–but the majority really express unique character. Too often CA vintners simply take an unfamiliar varietal and turn it into another ripe, oaky wine with a different name. It’s also pretty compelling that many of these “heirloom” varietals are not produced in any quantity anywhere in the world. Often times wineries use an important grape less known to CA consumers and make an overpriced, inferior young vine version compared to the old vine, old world equivalent. Volk is finding vines and grapes so unique that there aren’t any equivalents anywhere. I don’t even think Bandol has 85 year old Mourvedre vines as it was largely replanted in the mid-20th century after Phylloxera wiped out most of it.
OK, so this is turning out to be more about Volk than San Benito County. But it seems he’s a big advocate for this region. I’d like to dig deeper on this area as it appears to be a very old region that’s recently been rehabilitated, much like Languedoc. Surely there are some areas best for bulk wine, but given some of the old vines, the limestone soils in some areas, and adjacent mountain rage, there must be terroirs with stunning raw materials. And not just that, but unique and essentially indigenous grapes. The location at the top of a valley even sounds promising as it should be warmer than Monterrey, but still get cooling influence from the Pacific.
Victor, while I quite agree with the sentiment of your post, I think you have let Tom Hill put the word varietal in Asimov’s mouth where it doesn’t belong. Asimov wrote about “a dozen obscure grapes that are the foundation of some wonderful wines.” (emphasis added). As I’m sure you know, there are many grape varieties, but not a single grape varietal.
As I write this I am sipping a delightful Gaillac (2009 Croix Blanche, Domaine Sarrabelle) - 35% Mauzac, 35% Loin de l’Oeil, 30% Muscadelle - which finishes with an agreeable bitter almond note that reminds me of Fiano di Avellino.
It’s difficult for me to imagine Grenache, as much as I love it, being used to add acidity to a blend. What am I missing?
Taking an Assyrtiko from Sigalas to the Chaine tonight.
(Sneaking it in.)
Thai food that is mainly seafood and not super spicy.
Should work great.
Richard,
To me the unoaked versions are heads above the oaked versions from all the producers I have tasted.
I really don’t know why they even oak this variety. (BT. See I can be taught.) Have you discussed this with any of the producers?
Huh? You can buy very decent examples from $12-22. Not expensive at all.
TROUSSEAU – Eric strikes out. What Eric calls presence I call dirty (‘earthy’ if you’re being polite). Light in body but stinky. Offputting, so light you wish it would just disappear. I’ve had 3 or 4, have avoided ever since.
Perhaps you don’t care for Jura reds?
What about schiava? A northern Italian variety (goes by the German name “Vernatsch”), good examples can make you forget about rose for summer drinking.