Give me Five! 5 New Grapes for 2022

Let’s get 2022 off to an exciting start with five new delightful wine grapes to try.  When I say new, I mean new to Americans---all of these varieties have been growing for centuries in Europe.   In fact, wine lovers who have traveled to Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast, the Greek Island of Santorini, northwest Spain, or Sicily may have sampled them, but essentially these varietals remain unknown to Americans.  The good news is that all of them are imported----and because of their obscurity, they are terrific buys (many at rock-bottom pricing considering their quality).

                                 Korcula island is home to both the Posip grape & Marco Polo

Posip, an intensely aromatic and flavor-chocked white wine grape, is Croatia’s best kept secret.   Grown exclusively on the Dalmatian coastline, this variety is indigenous to the island of Korcula (better known as the island where Marco Polo was born).  Posip is the result of two obscure grape varieties crossing in a Korcula vineyard.  This sleeper wine delivers tastes of figs, citrus, apricots and almonds, along with decent acidity.  I recently bought online a case of my favorite producer, Black Horse.  The name of the wine is Mega Vieta and the 2020 vintage is superb. ($20 per bottle)

                                         Santorini offers mind-boggling views & stunning wines

The second of the five new varietals is also from an island, but this one's located in Greece.  Santorini is certainly one of the most dramatic gems of the Mediterranean.  The Assyrtiko grape, like Posip, is native to the island on which it is grown.  Assyrtiko thrives in Santorini's  arid climate in inhospitable volcanic ash soil.  This wine is reminiscent of a Sauv Blanc with a lemon-lime profile with compelling mineral nuances.  Like Posip, Santorini's native variety brings the necessary acid to carry the wine's structure.  Look no further than Gaia or Sigalas for the best producer.  Plan on $25-30 bucks per bottle.

Keeping with the theme of islands, let's now move to the Mediterranean's largest:  Sicily.  There are two unknown grapes here that need to jump-start your 2022.  The first is a varietal called Grillo.  On a recent Wine-Knows' trip to Sicily, I couldn't get enough of this white wine which offers apple, citrus, and almond nuances.   I particularly enjoyed Valle dell'Acate's Zagra at <$20.

                         This Frapatto is named after haute couture designer, Carolina Marengo 

The second Sicilian varietal you need to try is Frapatto, a red wine grape.   Frapatto is, however, a light weight red so it works perfectly with fish, seafood and poultry prepared in a simple way without complicated sauces.    Think strawberries and cherries laced with a floral component.   One of my faves is Feudo del Pisciotto's Carolina Marengo Kisa.  It's available for about $30 buck.   

          Pazo Senorans is always a must-visit winery on Wine-Knows' Galicia tours (next trip 2024)

The last of the five new wine grapes is from the mainland of Spain, an area called Galicia in the far northwest corner of the country.   Albarino, the name of the grape and the wine, comes from the province of Galicia.  This grape is grown in Spain as well as Portugal.  In Galicia it reaches its pinnacle creating wines with a beautiful melange of stone fruit and citrus flavors.   I highly recommend Pazo Senorans who produces several Albarinos that range from $20-30.

Have an adventurous 2022 and try some of these unknown wines!

Island Fever

Maybe it’s all the rain Southern Cal has been experiencing recently?   Or, perhaps it’s just the cold?  Don’t know exactly why but I’ve been obsessing over island wines lately.  If you want to put a little sunshine in your glass, try some of these favorite island wines of mine: 

Wailheke, New Zealand

Located just a few hours by ferry from Auckland, this island (in addition to making some great wines) is a very romantic spot.  The star of the viticultural show is Te Whau winery’s “The Point.”   Only 1,000 cases of this killer Bordeaux blend is made.  The price is about $100 a bottle, but it could seriously compete with the Grand Cru Chateaux which sell for several times this price.   

Sardenia, Italy

Rugged and dry, the soils and microclimate of this island are perfect for growing grapes.  While water and fertile soils are needed for table grapes, an inhospitable environment such as Sardenia is the perfect situation for creating complexity (vines are forced to seek water and nutrients deep down in the soil).   The whites are the stars of the island’s show and Vermentino is the rock-star grape.   We buy cases each year of Argiolas’ Vermentino to serve guests poolside.  At about $15 a bottle, the well-priced sips of this one will make you swear you’re on the beach!

Santorini, Greece:

If you’ve been to Santorini, you know it’s a big OMG kind of place.  If you haven’t been, put it on your bucket list as this place is high on the Richter scale for spectacular beauty.   Created from a cataclysmic volcanic eruption a few thousand years ago, the island’s lava-based soil makes some of the world’s most interesting mineral-laced wines.   Gaia is a producer not to miss.

Mallorca, Spain

Palma de Mallorca's  airport is one of the busiest in all of Europe with nearly 20 million visitors annually.  Because of this, most of its wine, unfortunately, never makes it off the island.  That being said, if you’re visiting Barcelona, take a 30 minute flight to this dreamy place (from Madrid, it’s an hour flight).  Highly recommend Bodega Biniagual and Bodega Binigrau, located in the center of the island in the DOC district of Binissalem.  These boutique producers are among the best on the island.

Gran Canaria & Lanzarote, Spain

These two islands are located just off the coast of Morocco.  This June Wine-Knows is taking its first group to the Canaries.  The islands’ volcanic soils create some very interesting mineral flavors in their wines, but it’s not just about the minerality.  The island’s abundant sunshine also add enticing tropical fruit flavors to the whites.  If you can find El Grifo or Los Bermjos, they’re fab.  Olé!

Madeira, Portugal

After the Canaries, the group of Wine-Knows will be heading to Madeira.  While many think of the aged & fortified Madeira, this volcanic island is now producing some very good table wines.   Like the Canaries and Santorini, Madeira’s mineral-rich volcanic soils translate into very interesting wine.  These soils are quite well drained (necessary for creating the best wines) and there is little water (thus, roots have to search deep into the earth for hydration---bringing up with the water interesting flavors from the deep soils).   Best for table wines is Quinta do Moledo or Roca Branca, both made by the island’s rock-star winemaker Joao Mendes.

Corsica, France

We spent a week on Corsica a few years ago.  An overnight ferry’s ride from Marseille (or a few hours boat ride from Italy’s Tuscan coast), this gem offers a perfect getaway from the maddening crowds of the French Riviera, as well as Tuscany’s hoards.   It also offers wonderful wines, especially Vermentino.  While Americans haven’t really discovered Corsican wines yet, the French have.  One of the French Bibles of wine recently dubbed Corsica as the “most exciting wine region in France.”   Look for producers Arena or Leccia.   

Have fun….and don’t forget to the sun block!

Volcano Wines in Hungary?

                                       Wine-Knows will be touring Hungary in 2018

I've just visited one of the world’s most unique wine districts---it is also one of the smallest.  Hungary’s tiny hill of Somló belongs to an exclusive collection of wine areas around the globe that are totally volcanic (think of Greece’s enchanting Santorini, Sicily's Mt. Etna, the Canaries, or Madeira----all islands).  Somló, however, is an aberration as it is hundreds of miles from the sea.

Ten million years ago Somló was an underwater volcano in a very shallow inland sea.  It erupted and spewed enough molten lava so that it rose out of the sea to a height of nearly 1,500 feet.  The spewed mineral-rich lava was mixed with bubbling gasses from super-heated air deep in the earth’s strata.  The gas penetrated the cooling magma into relatively crumbly, coarse soils that have eroded over the millenniums.  These friable soils today allow water to be delivered to the roots of vines very slowly, a lifesaver during a dry growing season when vineyards must rely on groundwater to survive. The coarse soils are also fast-draining, perfect for vines.  Equally compelling, the mineral-laden soil also contributes interesting minerality to the wine.

Although Somló is a mere 1,200 acres, the hill has over 1,200 individual wine-producers.  This is special soil and everyone for miles around wants a piece of the action.  There are only two sizable producers;  everyone else is a boutique winery, or simply making a wine for home consumption.

Somló is white wine country.  Pronouncing the grape varietals can be a challenge (Juhfark, Olaszrizling, Furmint and Harslevelu---the latter two of which are also the grapes of Tokaj.).   But, drinking these magical white wines is pure bliss.  I’m charmed by Juhfark’s  brilliant, deeply concentrated yellow color and its almond-like finish; Olaszrizling’s high-acidity;  Furmint’s honey and white flower essences; and Harvslevelu’s liquid sunshine of melons and citrus.  Wet stone nuances abound in all.

Blue Danube Wines is the exclusive importer for all Somló wine to the USA.  While Somló may be a little wine district, its white wines are huge in pleasure.  Looking for something new and enticing for a dinner party?   Somló could be your crowd-pleaser.