What wine from a non-traditional region excites you the most?

WINE TALK
61

I will let you know!

Can you name some of the best producers of Grk? I bought the three Grks that one appears to be able to get in the US!

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62

Great!

May I ask where you got them? I think thereā€™s a store in MA that has a bunch of Croatian wines, if thatā€™s it, I can make it down there eventually.

Also, please post on them!

Thank you.

Dan Kravitz

63

Bought them here: https://www.croatianpremiumwine.com/

Wines shipped from California.

64

Bingo! Revere, MA. Iā€™ll get there this spring.

Thanks!

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65

Thanks Zachary!

The production from Lumbarda is tiny, itā€™s quite hard to impossible to find many of them outside of cellar doors. I think Bire is your best bet to realistically get hold of the better producers.

The producers I have enjoyed the most though is Popic and what is now called Vitis winery (they changed name relatively recently from Bartul Cebalo).

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66

Have been to Leelanau and Old Mission Peninsula in fall of 2021 and 2023. Reds were better in 21ā€¦ whites had the upper hand in 23. Bubblers were good both years.

Bubblers ranged from the common blends, to pinot gris, to a singluar pinot muenier. Mawby, Good Harbor and Aurora stand out. This is the most consistent and most balanced type of wine from this region.

For whites, pinot gris, chardonnay, riesling and a bit of kerner we have enjoyed. Verterra and Left Foot Charley lead the pack.

On the reds, 23 saw us pick up some blaufrankisch and non-aged non-reserve pinot noir. In the past the zweigelt and reserves pinot had more legs, but struggled the last visit. Shady Lane and 2 Lads were our favs and the Aurora Blau was really good both seasons.

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67

John,
I didnā€™t even know where Old Mission Peninsula was until I looked it up; Michigan. It sounds like you live in the area or close enough to visit regular - Iā€™ve never heard of any of these so thanks for post.

68

Live in Cleveland and went to Leelanau for the wines and the sand. The west shore of Lake Michigan has some impressive sand dunes and beaches.

Further on this topic Iā€™ll get around to a post on Virginia wines also, as we hit those whenever we head to/from DC. Iā€™d guess more of the folks have experience with that region. Just had a really nice nebbiolo reserve from Barboursville as an example.

Love to try different wines from different regions. Will be in Arizona later this month and stumbled upon the Verde Valley AVA which is near a stop in Sedona. Have three places pegged to try so will report back after.

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69

Pet nat, bio dynamic, San souffre, Aligote with skin contact. I am more about technique than region.

I havenā€™t found one yet, but when I doā€¦.

70

Not exciting, but tried a decent rose today from Old Westminster Wineryā€¦ when you think good wine you donā€™t think of Maryland or youā€™d think Virginia before MD.

71

Or if I think Maryland, I think Black Ankle and then canā€™t come up with any more names.

72

Old Westminster Winery is one of the few places that still make piquette.

73

I was a panel director at Texsom in 2023.
Our judging panel had two Master Sommeliers Madeline Triffon and Guy Stout a wine writer and a Texas winery owner.
They judged 50 Michigan wines
Texsom 2023 award winners
These wineries won the most awards
Aurora Cellars https://www.auroracellars.com/ 3 gold 3 silver 2 bronze

Blustone 4 golds 1 bronze

Bel Lago 1 gold Cab Franc 2 bronze

French Valley 1 gold pinot noir 1 silver 1 bronze

Good Harbor Vineyards https://www.goodharbor.com/ 1 gold pinot noir rose 4 silvers did well in other years

Amoritas 2 silvers Riesling 1 bronze

Boathouse* 3 silvers and a judges selection in 2024 for 2022 Cab franc

Article on Boathouse Boathouse Vineyards' 2022 Cabernet Franc Outshines 17 International Entries

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74

I had a fun Hokkaido Pinot Noir (Domaine Takahiko) the other night. Not sure Iā€™d seek it out, but it was interesting and enjoyable.

75

Jurancon sec

At the insane prices these go for I can well believe it. Which one did you have?

76

2021 Nanu Tsuru Mori

It was bright and fragrant and quite open. Red fruited. Fresh but not natty. The profile was pretty unique. Not terribly complex or deep.

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77

For me itā€™s hybrids, which are starting to come into their own. Especially La Garagista in Vermont and Nathan K in FLX.

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78

And in Japan.

79

They have been making wines in Georgia for several thousand years. If that qualifies as non-traditional, anything probably does.

I was thinking Cabernets from Mount Eden or Ridge since they have been only been made for less than 100 years.