Perhaps it’s just me, but it appears as though a greater number of unconventional grape varieties are finding their way into US vineyards and, in turn, onto wine labels.
Tablas Creek’s imported Rhône varieties are now planted across California. Grenache Blanc has performed well, while trials with others (Picpoul Blanc, Clairette Blanche, Bourboulenc, and Picardan) are still being carried out.
Other Mediterranean whites, like Vermentino, Greco, Pecorino, Carricante, etc, recently have found their way into West Coast vineyards as well.
Several champions of underrepresented white varieties have emerged at 7 Percent Solution’s tasting events.
A few years ago, Dirty & Rowdy teamed up with Cruse to bottle an “Alder Springs Vyd” Furmint. Now it looks like Benevolent Neglect will be creating one in the near future: link.
**What are some less-recognized white grape varieties in the US that you consider worth trying?
What producers are bottling exceptional examples of these rarities?**
In Colorado’s wine regions cold heartiness is a big factor so we are seeing more and more hybrid whites like Traminette which has a flavor profile similar to Gewurztraminer. I’ve had single varietal bottlings and some mixed with Albariño both as a dry and an off dry wine. Great summer wine.
Sam Bilbro/Idlewild has the first Timorasso in the ground at their LostHills vnyd in the YorkvilleHighlands and got his first tiny crop last Fall.
Given Sam’s track record with Arneis & Cortese, it will make a good one that will be the envy of WalterMassa.
Tom
Dan Petroski at Massican uses Greco from Sonoma County with Pinot Blanco in his “Gemina”, produces a Ribolla Gialla and blends Ribolla Gialla with Tocai Friulano in his “Annia”.
They’re all outstanding - my favorite Californian whites.
I just picked up the 2020 vino Bianca at $24 from wineaccess. It’s not much of a discount from the direct price but turns in to a good deal with free shipping, especially if you have a $30 off $150 offer from Amex.
Don’t get any more weird than the ones in MN. Marquette, Frontenac and any other ones they have in the ground and people actually pay $20 or more for a bottle of wine.
I will give the U of M props for their work on apples!
Falanghina is promising for CA. It’s certainly a grape I’d like to play with again. Bryan had it grafted at Siletto, and we made one vintage before he decided to retire. Seems like a very flexible grape. More character than Chardonnay, but not so much as to limit it. Takes very well to skin contact. I just bought a skin contact version from Giornata to try.
A few California producers of yore made great age-worthy Semillon. Often requiring significant age (15+ years) to really show well. Of course dry and sticky Sem-Sauvs are nothing new, with some outstanding CA versions. But, it also does well with skin contact. Just press at about 7 days, while CO2 is still actively protecting the must, then 2 years in stainless to round out.
Tablas Creek and Idlewild make some really impressive unusual whites. The best Picpoul I’ve had was Highlawn, which was like a Grand Cru Chablis with very distinct Picpoul character subbed in. I think that was a one-off, but he makes a good Albarino. Bokisch does a good job with mostly Iberian grapes. Edmunds St. John Heart of Gold deserves a mention.
You can’t have this conversation without mentioning Matthew Rorick and the team at Forlorn Hope. They’re the kings and queens of neglected varieties. They make Gewürztraminer, Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains, Sémillon, Picpoul Blanc, Trousseau Gris, Verdelho, Vermentino, Chenin Blanc. Some of those aren’t new or unusual, but less common.
I’ve fallen for Aeris Wines’ Carricante Bianco Centennial Mountain.
Couple of varieties are pretty well suited to the hotter CA climate due to their bracing acidity - Petit Manseng, PicPoul, Assyrtiko etc and we’re probably going to see a lot more of those in the future. I’ve heard Bedrock is experimenting with PM.
Not sure if it counts as unusual enough, but there is more and more Grüner going in across the Finger Lakes to good success. In terms of ‘off-beat hybrid’ grapes, Vignoles is the one that can deliver wines that will blow you away for pennies on the dollar.