What's your 'Wonder Grape'?

[Tom_Reddick]

Scheurebe

[Andrew_Demaree]

Blueberry wine…

I look forward to trying this when we visit Maine in May. We’re renting a house 10 min. from Bartlett Winery.

[Ramon_C]

Nero d’Avola. Been wondering if it’s really grape.

[Gerhard_P]

Sauvignon blanc from STYRIA (Steiermark)

[Arild_Haaland]

Monastrell and Mencia for me.

[Rich_K0rz_nk0]

Nero D’Avola and Corvina for reds and Viognier for white

[Robert_Pollard-Smith]

Aglianico. I have…not a few bottles, but a whole rack full, always, and for the life of me, I can’t understand why it isn’t the main topic of discussion on wine boards. I’m drinking a luscious Aglianico as I write this, which is at least 3 times better than the St. Emilion I opened before it, that cost 3 times as much. Damn this stuff is tasty.

Edit: this is a great thread, and I support the posts of those who elect Mourvedre, Nerello Mascalese, and Marsanne to this status. But Aglianico is the QPR king.

This, I don’t know why I don’t buy/drink more. A Terredora Taurasi is the single most memorable nose I’ve experienced.

[Marcus_Goodfellow]

Riesling

It’s always in the fridge, and like Hank with Syrah, it still seems to need evangelists in the real world, as opposed to here

[TomHill]

Sauvignon blanc from STYRIA (Steiermark)

Yup…agree, Gerhard. When I was there, I found some terrific ones. Alas, many of the ones imported
into the USofA are a bit bland.
Tom

[Thomas_Keim]

Ribolla

Ditto - and adding Schioppettino and Lagrein -

[Thomas_Keim]

AND -

Saint Laurent from Switzerland, Tannat & Jacquere from France and Graciano from Spain -

[Joe_Z]

I suppose I should have asked for your favorite examples of the variety as well! Feel free to include if you would like

Nerello mascarese is mine. It’s not always great, but when it is… dang I love it

My favorite Nerello so far has been Munjabel from Frank Cornellison. just delicious. like a lovechild between Nebbiolo and Burgundy

I love Nerello as well. Have you tried Terre Nere’s pre phylloxera? Also have been a fan of some of Benanti’s Nerellos, as well as the Carricante.

[Richard_Albert]

Randy, regarding Syrah and Cab blend 20 years ago, been there and did that with Melka and Caldwell with his superb vineyard; very delicious and successful blend, well received, sold easily rapidly. 1998 first vintage, should not have been an easy sell, right?

[Richard_T_r_i_m_p_i]

Poulsard and Frappato.

RT

[Bryan_Carr]

Cannonau. Usually a lot of fun and goes great with pasta and pizza.

[Mattstolz]

I love Nerello as well. Have you tried Terre Nere’s pre phylloxera? Also have been a fan of some of Benanti’s Nerellos, as well as the Carricante.

I haven’t tried the pre-phylloxera yet, but their regular Etna Rosso is such a steal I think. I’ve eyed the pre-phylloxera several times but haven’t pulled the trigger yet. is it worth the extra over the regular Etna Rosso?

[Joe_Z]

I love Nerello as well. Have you tried Terre Nere’s pre phylloxera? Also have been a fan of some of Benanti’s Nerellos, as well as the Carricante.

I haven’t tried the pre-phylloxera yet, but their regular Etna Rosso is such a steal I think. I’ve eyed the pre-phylloxera several times but haven’t pulled the trigger yet. is it worth the extra over the regular Etna Rosso?

Yes I definitely agree, the Etna Rosso is a great wine. I feel the pre-phylloxera is worth the extra though; it really is a fantastic wine. The ‘15 I thought was an excellent vintage that still is pretty available. The ‘16 is good too but both benefit from some decanting.

[Josh_Grossman]

Not a single mention of Norton. For shame!

[Drew_Goin]

Syrah.

Not a rare grape but one that does not get enough credit in my market. Plus I always have a bottle to share with friends. Its also my favorite grape variety. I am trying to get into white rhone varietals at the moment and hope to turn on some friends to them.

I’m with Hank. The grape is very versatile and can be shaped in many different ways by the winemaker. You wouldn’t add Syrah to Cab twenty years ago, but there are some stellar blends out there now. It may be the trend for the changing palates behind Parker points. On the down side, Syrah in the store is a slow mover.

It’s interesting to read these thoughts, as I stumbled across two articles by Dan Berger on Syrah last night. He actually attributed the boom in vaguely labelled blend to the difficulty of getting Syrah to be the next big thing…


Press Democrat
“Why Syrah is Such a Hard Sell”
by Dan Berger
September 28, 2015

Press Democrat
“Red Wine Blends Problematic”
by Dan Berger
October 2, 2018

[Drew_Goin]

I am enjoying this thread. Of course, I have been posting about Mourvèdre and Carignan, so it isn’t difficult to figure out what I share with friends and family.


While I don’t post about them often, I do love a lot of inexpensive* Iberian/Mediterranean whites:

Picpoul, Verdejo, Viura - you know, crisp, clean, refreshing stuff.


Regarding the earlier mention of Kerner, I have tasted only one, but I think it’s got potential domestically. Lodi’s “Mokelumne Glen Vineyard” is the source of grapes for SideBar and Markus Wine Company:

The Drinks Business
“Mokelumne Glen Vineyards: Once an Experiment, Now a Lodi Landmark”
by db_staff
December 12, 2018

"…While this certified sustainable vineyard is responsible for over 50% of Kerner plantings in the US, the obscurities don’t end there. Throughout the 15-acre vineyard is a wide collection of indigenous German and Austrian varieties such as Riesling (clone 90), Grüner Veltliner, Bacchus, Gewürztraminer, Dornfelder, Blaufränkisch, Zweigelt, and the lesser known Regent. And that’s only what’s commercially sold.

“A one-acre trial block of the vineyard is planted with another 50 some odd varieties. This experimental site includes eight different clones of Riesling, Affentaler, Rotgipfler, Räuschling, Ortega, Phoenix, Cabernet Dorsa, Domina, and Rondo. Scheduled for early spring of 2019 is yet another addition – this time, the dark-skinned Dunkelfelder…”

• Curse you, $30 Albariño!