Scheurebe is not off the wall enough. I vote for Albalonga.
True, Scheurebe is no further off the wall than Carignan.
How about Plava Mali, particularly from Bibich?
If Scheurebe is Riesling’s kinky cousin (doing everything Riesling won’t…) then Zierfandler is Gruner Veltliner’s equivalent kink match…
@CarlaRzeszewski
Wine Director of The Spotted Pig, The Breslin, and The John Dory Oyster Bar…
I love Plava Mali - in all it’s forms - even the light, frizzante style is appealing to me -
And don’t forget Ruche from Piedmont and Schioppettino from Friuli - I’ve had some amazing Schioppettino - and they age beautifully -
I bought several bottles of Grgic Vina Plavac Mali (a Croatian wine made by Mike Grgich). It tastes like a southern Italy zinfandel, good though a bit hot and baked for my personal preference.
I liked the white wine from Grgic Vina, from the grape Posip, more than the Plavac Mali.
Oh yes – Schioppettino rocks! I had a '97 recently at Frasca Food & Wine in Boulder – for a very reasonable price – that was a revelation.
Grignolino (not Heitz!)
Rulander?
David, I have wines labeled as “Pinot Grigio / Rülander” from Alto Adige so that’s just German for Pinot Gris / Grigio, no?
I’m shocked you feel that way about Scheu. You probably drink far too much of wines like the 1998 MC Spatlese. 
If Scheurebe’s ruled out, then my vote goes to Neuburger, especially after a crazy good bottle of Nikolaihof’s 2010 version last week.
If David hadn’t said that about Scheurebe, I was going to. You’ll never establish your bona fides as an obscurantist [sic] with Scheurebe.
Now, Trollinger Halbtrocken, there’s an obscure German grape and wine.
Oh, but this thread was supposed to be about favorite obscure grapes, wasn’t it? Never mind…
I’d love to love Ruche/Ruchet, but I can’t say I’ve ever had one that I liked. Have you?
What about all the obscure grapes from southern Italy and Greece?
Jim–and Thomas, to who also mentioned it: These are the first positive reports I’ve seen on the Norton. As I was getting interested in wine a few years ago, my wife gave me a book about it, which was remarkable in that there were no TNs at all–just a vague comment about how great it tasted. So what are the good ones like? I’m really curious.
It’s a wierd grape with a lot of acidity - so the best examples I’ve had are the no-oak, partial whole berry fermentation with a light spritz to them - young with a little chill they are quite lovely -
Does vernaccia rossa (which is a biotype of aleatico) count? I’ve certainly never heard of it.
Is it a favorite of mine? Well, just opened a bottle of 2011 Villa Ligi Vernaculum Pergola Rosso, which was pretty damn good, so it may well become one.
The best renditions seem to be dark as night, thick as a Marechale Foche (there’s another cool grape!) with a haunting hint of blueberry on the palate - it is a hybrid - so there aren’t alot of layers of fruit (unless influenced by wood) but they can be quite a mouthful of wine -
John mentioned Assyrtiko - which I think is a world class grape from Greece - some gorgeous, flinty dry whites -