Wine tasting with curiousity leads to sampling interesting varietals
Like many wine drinkers, I have my favorites—the trusty go-to labels—but curiosity always draws me to experiment with less familiar varietals and regions. Recently I found myself getting caught up sampling a unique range of wines from Northern Italy along with some interesting labels from South Africa, Argentina, and California.
2021 Attems Pinot Grigio. Wine is from Venezia/Friuli region of Northeast Italy, which is home of prosecco and some Italy’s finest whites. Bright acidity, medium body, flavors of green apple, minerals, almond, and toast. Not your mom’s pinot grigio. $15
2021 Riva Leone Gavi. The Cortese di Gavi varietal takes its name from Italy’s Northwestern Gavi region. Makes a nice alternative to sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio with its crisp citrus acidity but full body. $15
2022 Pomino Bianco. A mouth-watering marriage of chardonnay and pinot blanc, Pomino comes from Tuscany’s legendary House of Frescobaldi. Rich tropical fruit and honey aromas give way to tangy citrus and mineral flavors. $22
2021 Terre Brulee Chenin Blanc. A transplant from the Loire Valley of France, Chenin Blanc has become South Africa’s signature white. (see sidebar below) Terre Brulee’s take on this versatile grape produces floral aromas followed by orange/melon flavors and appealing acidity. $15
NV (Non Vintage) Valdo Valdobbiadene Marca Oro Prosecco Superiore. Valdobbiadene is a town in the Italian provence of Veneto. Medium body/acidity, fresh apple, pear, honey. Excellent value $14
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NV Letari Sparkling Wine. Deep in the mountains of Northeast Italy, the Trento region produces some the country’s most enticing traditionally-made sparkling wines. Toast/apple features emerge on prolonged finish. Move over, Champagne. $32
NV Ferrari Rose Sparkling Wine. Another Italian gem from Trento, Ferrari blends chardonnay and pinot noir to produce intense aromas, subtly dry red fruit flavors on a crisp finish. $36
2021 Riva Leone Barbera. Barbera, the anchor red varietal of Italy’s Piedmont region, shines with smooth, dry cherry and raspberry. Full-bodied and long on the finish, Riva’s barbera is easy drinking and easy on the wallet. $15
2020 Bousquet Ameri Malbec. This rich, robust malbec, from Domaine Bousquet, Argentina’s leading organic wine producer. Dark fruit, chocolate, oak, velvety tannins—Ameri has it all. $30
The Mill Keeper Cabernet Sauvignon (NV). Leading Napa winemaker Tom Gamble has created another dynamic cabernet by blending multiple vintages of Gamble Family wines. Complex layers of flavor over-deliver. $26
Chenin Blanc is one versatile varietal
Chenin Blanc originated in the Loire Valley of France but is now commonly found in most of the world’s wine growing regions. In fact, the little white grape has been such a popular transplant that France no longer leads in production.
Part of Chenin Blanc’s success is its versatility. Its high natural acidity allows vintners to craft everything from lush dessert wines to bubblies. While we don’t hear much about the varietal in this country, it has been used widely as a blending grape to add structure and body.
Chenin Blancs from the cooler climate of northwest France tend to be dry and show zippy acidity making them particularly suited to a range of food. Expect flavors of apple, pear, apricot, and honey. Hotter climates, like South Africa (where it is the most widely planted grape) brings out the grape’s fruity (pineapple, mango, pineapple) characteristics.
Steve Prati is a Franklin-based wine consultant.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Wine tasting with curiousity leads to sampling interesting varietals
