Mencia can be excellent in Bierzo (Castilla Y Leon) and Ribeira Sacra (Galicia).
Many possible expressions … more or less fresh, more or less complex.
Bodegas Estefania, Dominio do Bibei Lacima, Descendientes de J. Palacios (La Faraona is about 1000 euros, one of the most expensive spanish wines).
One of my regular stops recommended a Fable, Pinot Meunier from Dommen vineyard RRV Sonoma. Shelf price 14.99. Finished on day two. Good stuff, tasted like a PN on some steroid program.
Portugal has dozens if not hundreds of varieties. Don’t forget the whites: Arinto, Bical, Alvarinho, Gouveio, Malvasia Fina (also known as Bual on Madeira), Maria Gomes are just a few.
A few additions:
Kerner always seems get a bad rap among us German wine aficionados (although exceptions exist among older German wines), but it does quite well in Alto Adige. Abbazia di Novacella and Manni Nossing are both about $20.
Lyrarakis (not Ayrarakis; the first character is a lambda) in Crete makes some very interesting wines from lesser-known native grapes like Liatiko, Dafni, Vidiano, Plyto, and Vilana. I first discovered them in the mid-2000s when they were under $10, and they still typically sell for under $20.
Finally, I really like Roter Veltliner, but haven’t seen much locally in recent years. Leth and Setzer have both made very nice, reasonably priced examples in the past.
1 Like
Definitely in the hundreds! WIne Grapes listed 77, but I think that is quite incomplete and outdated (book was published 2012).
Some wonderful forgotten red varieties now gaining a bit more traction, such as Mourisco (aka Marufo) (in Douro). Ramisco (from Colares) is one of the more particular ones, I don’t know any other red grape that has this briney, almost seaweedy tone (maybe doesn’t sound so appealing, but in mature Colares it is insanely good)
Personally I’m also a Trincadeira lover - a spicy variety commonly found in Alentejo that really seems to retain freshness even in hot climates.
Post 16 ![[cheers.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/0/0ff9bfcdb0964982cd3240b6159868fbdf215b1a.gif "cheers"){kind=small}
VdF Domaine de Cressance (Pont du Gard - Uzès) Myriades rouge 2019 : 15/20 - august 2020
80% cépage chenanson. 20% syrah. Fait très syrah, assez fluide mais agréable.
Le chenanson est un croisement de grenache noir et de jurançon noir (un autre cépage rare, que l’on trouve à Fronton, Cahors).
Chenancon, sorry I can’t put the squiggle under the second ‘c’.
Dan Kravitz
Petite Verdot
Counoise
Cinsault
Referencing another thread, Forlorn Hope make a St. Laurent.
1 Like
The correct spelling seems to be the one I used above : ChenanSon.
I tend to turn to Greco di Tufo quite a bit and in particular now that spring is arriving as it’s one of the few wines I feel matches spring food. We eat more simple and fresh vegetable dishes (like pasta with artichokes and pecorino or polo with beans and tomatoe) this time of year and I struggle to match most of the wines I drink with them (chardonnay, riesling etc). Grüner works, but greco di tufo is more of a match and not “just okay”.
Feudi di San Gregorio, Di Meo, Mastroberardino and Pietracupa are all good producers.
I found a Petite Mansang that is terrific: Chateau Bouscasse Les Jardins - we went through a case of 2012 this summer, every bottle bright and fresh with no hint of oxidation.
Had my first taste yesterday and it is fabulous! Some more info on the Erbaluce and other Idlewild releases in the next few days.
Oh HELL yeah. This wine is so tasty.
Carignan
Falanghina
Touriga Nacional
Marquette
La Crescent
All of those have really hit the spot for me lately, and have been easy enough to find near me (which is always a consideration).
Came here to say Persan and Etraire de la Dhuy. They can make killer wines.
In Savoie, domaine Giachino produces an interesting persan (thanks for the synonymy).
Have any of the various oddities interplanted in California’s ancient Zinfandel vineyards have been assessed individually as finished wines?
For example, Castets, Persan, Mollard, St. Macaire, and Terret Noir, etc, are found in a few old-vine sites in Sonoma County.
Though only a tiny amount could be produced, have ANY varietal bottlings been made from such grapes?
Wine Century
“Mollard - Preservation of a Vine Variety”
by Grahame Martin
April 24, 2009
"…Mollard was well known in the Hautes-Alpes prior to the invasion of phylloxera in the 1870s. At this time the Hautes Alpes had nearly 6000 hectares under vine, today it is under 200. For Mollard the decline has been even worse; even as late as 1958 there were still nearly 300 hectares grown in this French Department. Currently there are just 25 hectares under cultivation.
"Its origin is the Hautes-Alpes (05) and it is believed to be a mutation from the Goulais Blanc. Mollard is a red skinned variety vitis vinifera that adapts itself well to the cooler climates of the Alpes. (Embrun is over 860 metres and Gap 740 metres above sea level). Back in 1868, Dr. Guyot in his book Studies on French Grape Varieties stated ‘I find it (Mollard) fresh, with moderate alcohol, a good garnet colour and easy to drink. It is somewhere between a Mondeuse (Savoie) and a Gamay Noir (Beaujolais) in terms of aroma.’
"The characteristics of this vine are:
- Its ability to adapt itself to the soil conditions and the climate of this mountainous area and in the rift valley of the River Durance.
- It is late in bud-break, thus avoiding many of the problems of late spring frost and snowfalls.
- It ripens fairly late in the season, loving the long warmish autumn days.
- It is only a little sensitive to coulure and is easily treated against both oidium and mildew.
- The bunches are close knit and most commonly almost cylindrical, whilst the berries are of medium size and round in shape.
- The wine produced is rich, with aromas black plums, a little tar, and some earthiness. (The term used locally is ‘rustique’).
- The younger vines produce grapes that are well suited to the production of the ‘Vin de l’Année’ wines, whist the grapes from older vines produce wines that are best drunk after 2 – 4 years…".
Wine Travel Media
“How Persan Found a New Lease of Life”
by Wink Lorch
February 28, 2013
I am a big fan of 100% Petite Verdot. I used to think it was very hard to find but on my last trip to Paso quite a few wineries had it in their line up.
Had a wine called 3 Day Weekend that was Counoise and it was great and only $9.99
Cinsault is another one I like.
Do I see Riesling here anywhere?? One of the world’s greatest grape varieties.
The dry whites of Franconia are a bit of a bargain as are the famous wines of the Rheingau and the dry Rieslings of Alsace