Unusual Grape Varieties You Have Tried / Want To Try

WINE TALK
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as for Early Burgundy, Weingut Fürst Löwenstein made a wonderful Frühburgunder at their Rheingau estate – from the vineyard Hallgartner Schönhell…

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The problem is that what is unusual to one person is common to another.

Godello, Mencia, Albarin, Graciano, Bobal, Moristel, Hondarrabi Zuri, Merseguera, Treixadura, Xarel.lo are grapes I’ve had a lot of, including several this past week, so I don’t consider them unusual at all. But I used to work with Spanish wines. They’re often blended but not always.

Zierfandler and Rotgipfler I’ve had on multiple occasions, although they’re not common in the States, and I’ve had and have plenty of Hungarian grapes like Kadarka, Hárslevelű, Cserszegi Fűszeres, Irsai Olivér, Juhfark, Zeta, and Kékoportó, simply because I’ve been there a few times and have many friends who bring them over.

But grapes from Georgia, Croatia, and even Greece are completely foreign and “unusual” to me. To someone Greek or Croatian they’re everyday events. The only Greek ones I can remember off the top are Xinomavro, Athiri, Assyrtiko, and Agiorgitiko, although I know there are many others.

Those are all grapes I would like to try.

I guess just by the fact that there are only like five hectares anywhere, the most unusual I’ve had would be Lauzet.

Camaralet and Fer Servadou aren’t common in the States but when I was in south France, there were a bunch of them, so to people there they’re not in the least unusual.

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Grapes that I wish USA winemakers would experiment with: Riesling Italico [Welschriesling], Scheurebe, Furmint, Pinot d’Aunis [Chenin Noir], Aglianico, Sagrantino.

Apparently Teutonic makes a “Sprockets” field blend which has contained Scheurebe in the past.

And Konstantin Frank has been bottling an Rkatsiteli for a while.

I’d be interested in trying both of those wines.

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Planted 3 acres of Gruner Veltliner last year. Super excited to see how it does in our very cool climate.

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Would freaking love to see some domestic Scheurebe! Great call Nathan!

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Would still like to sample some Zierfandler, Roter Veltliner and Godello.

Winner on my end for variety tried was Koshu—Japanese. Bernard Magrez’ Arusha Koshu was actually pretty decent stuff.

For my WineFest IV last July, I had a lot of fun putting this table of wines together from the cellar: [grin.gif]

THE FINAL FRONTIER

2014 Domaine des Molardes Chasselas Reserve
2004 Gravner Amphyllo Ribolla Gialla
2012 Pfeffinger Scheurebe Spatlese
2013 Moon Curser Tannat
2010 Malivoire Marechal Foch
2008 Ronchi Cialli Schiopettino
2004 Kracher Traminer #3 NV TBA
2009 Klein Constantia Vin de Constance Muscat de Frontignan
2009 Raul Perez Sketch Albarino
2009 Magrez-Aruga Koshu (Japanese wine from Bernard Magrez)
2012 Bodegas Buenavista/Veleta Vijirieja

Slainte

Mike

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I’ve liked this in various vintages:

PIRRAMIMMA Petit Verdot - McLaren Vale, Australia

I don’t know how available it is in the US.

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Planted 3 acres of Gruner Veltliner last year. Super excited to see how it does in our very cool climate.

Ballsy move. Hope it works out! And would love to try it!

It’s the kind of thing I wish more CA producers would do. There’s more than Cab, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay!

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As I started to get into wine I stumbled across a winery in Sonoma while on a business trip. The winery is Imagery. One of their “things” is 100% bottlings from usual grapes. While some of them may not be unusual worldwide, they are not common in the US. They make / made 100% bottlings of;

Albarino
Barbera
Cabernet Franc
Cinsaut
Grenache
Lagrein
Mourvedre
Petite Syrah Port
Petite Verdot
Sangiovese
Tempranillo
Teroldego
Viognier

I can still recall having the first bottle of Petite Verdot and thinking to myself, “This is amazing.” And now, 10+ years later, I still have never had a 100% Petite Verdot from any other producer.

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I would love to try a champagne comprised of just Arbane and a bottle of St. Macaire from bordeaux.

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it was classical guitarist Charles Richards and his Bellerose Vineyard from the 1980s in Sonoma
that i was thinking of with regard to the varietal Petit Verdot.

no idea if they are still in operation.

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Looking forward to checking out wines made from this, Casey!

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A number of producers in California make Aglianico, and there are a handful who make Sagrantino (we’ve worked with both varieties at Harrington). Pinot d’Aunis could be interesting here if planted in the right spot.

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None of these varieties are actually that unusual in California. Cinsaut, Lagrein, and Teroldego might be the least common among this group of grapes varieties grown here. Most - probably all - of these are made by at least some producers as 100% varietal wines. Of the varieties listed, we’ve worked with all but Albariño, Cabernet Franc, and Petite Sirah at Harrington, and we should be getting some Cab Franc this year, possibly some Albariño as well.

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I’m also always on the lookout for rarities. Here are a couple of TNs of some of the more obscure -

Domaine du Grangeon Chatus Ardèche:
Fascinating southern French (Ardeche) red made from the rare Chatus grape. The aromatics remind me of a GSM, ripe black cherry and a good bit of earthiness. There’s plenty of ripe black and red fruit on the tongue along with leather, mushroom, oak and hint of black pepper. The tannins are quite drying but not grainy. The acidity is noticeable but restrained and the finish is medium in length.

Old World Winery Abourious Reserve Russian River Valley:
Really interesting Russian River red made from the fairly rare Abouriou grape. Ripe plum, mushroom and dried cranberry on the nose. There’s medium smooth tannin and medium acidity on the palate. The flavor profile is ripe dark plum, a touch of grape stems, tobacco, a hint of smoke, macerated black cherry and a touch of menthol. Really enjoyable diversion from the usual red suspects.

Királyudvar Tokaji Sec:
Very interesting Tokaji Furmint Sec. Normally Furmint grapes are used to produce an awesome sweet dessert wine so when I saw this dry version I had to try it. On the nose is a nice blast of something floral, akin to honeysuckle. The palate is loaded with ripe pear, honey, mandarin orange and a touch of lemon pith. There is a bit of a mouthcoating affect, medium acidity and a semi-long finish. Will definitely purchase again.

Bioenos Crespiello Cariñena Pulchrum:
This Spanish red is made from the almost extinct Vidadillo grape. Beautiful dark ruby in the glass, the nose comes across with some fig and ripe plum. This is not a complex wine by any stretch but somewhat light in body with notes of fresh cranberry and slightly tart red cherry. It has a good bit of acidity, light to medium tannin and a medium finish. This went really well with home made veggie pizza.

Also heading out this afternoon to a local winestore that is doing a tasting featuring some unusual Piedmontese wines, one each made from Timorasso, Freisa and Croatina.

1 Like
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West of Temperance had a Berserker Day offering of Aglianico which is very good by the way.

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These are actually much more common than you think and several winemakers who post here make lovely renditions of these.

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I had never tried Dornfelder, but saw a few posts here and there slamming it like is it the wine of Satan. Loring Wine Co makes a Dornfelder and I have had very good luck with Loring wines, so what the hell.

It is an interesting wine. Very dark black, almost like a PS. Lots of blackberries and spice. There is a bit of sweetness that doesn’t align with my taste. I’m somewhere between “I like it” and “I’m not sure what this stuff is trying to be.” I have 2 more bottles, so I’ll try again. If the next one is like the first, I may give the last one away.

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At least how Tom made it the wine wasn’t as high in tannin as a Petite. It was kinda briary, blueberry, dusty, he always had a decent amount of oak on his wines but I don’t think it ever overwhelmed them. I think I have maybe a 2010 and 2012 left and should try one with a few years age on it.
Tom always used a wide variety of grapes he also made Gruner and a Graciano and was willing to work with grapes types that you rarely see made in Livermore.

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I tasted Dornfelders going back nearly 20 years with my pal Rainer Lingefelder at his estate in the Pfalz couple years back.
there is an angularity to the profile than i find difficult to love…

i think for some German estates it is a holdover from a time thirty years ago
when they were desperate to make red wine anyredwine…
and it sure is red, alright… and can soak up the oak.