5 Wine Varietals You Should Taste (or Taste Again)

Human beings are creatures of habit, there’s no getting around it. It’s so easy to fall into a rut. I do it myself; as of late I’ve been drinking an awful lot of Pinot. (Though I gotta say, there’s nothing awful about a lot of Pinot!) Every once and I while I shake it up a bit and pick up a bottle of something new… something unexpected… something different. Thus this list: five wines to turn to when you feel the need to mix it up or try something new. (And by the way, this is only the tip of the iceberg; there are so many unsung grapes, producers, regions and styles in the world- there’s really no excuse for getting caught in a rut.)

1. Viognier

Probably the main attraction of Viognier is its rich, complex, floral nose. Despite the sweet aromas, it usually produces a dry wine, low in acidity, generally with rich, intense flavor and a deep, yellow color. Viognier can be as full-bodied as an oaky Chardonnay (though the Viognier usually isn’t aged on much oak, if at all), but have much more distinctive fruit character. Viognier works well with spicy dishes, like taco night at the Maiers house, or Thai-style curry. Also, fruit chutneys and salsas that accompany grilled fish or chicken, can work well with Viognier. In California, Viognier blends have become all the rage- try the The Tablas Creek Côtes de Tablas Blanc: it’s pretty ridiculous; and the ever-popular Conundrum, made by Caymus includes a percentage of Viognier, though the exact amount is a closely-guarded secret (and no doubt varies from vintage to vintage.)

2. Grüner Veltliner

I like to think of Grüner Veltliner as Riesling’s lighter-bodied, less sweet, second-cousin. Both varietals hail from Austria, both have naturally high acidity, and both are great food wines- Grüners are great to pair with “difficult” foods such as artichokes and asparagus. Grüners are usually full-bodied dry wines, with a streak of minerality, best served REAL COLD. They’re fun, refreshing and many are inexpensive: the Hofer we featured in a webisode last year was $11 for a liter bottle. If you want to try something even more different, no need to travel to Austria; look no further than Chehalem in Oregon. They make the Wind Ridge Vineyards Grüner Veltliner, which earned a 90 from The Wine Advocate, and retails for under $20.

3. Barbera

Barbera is the second most widely planted red variety in Italy, after Sangiovese. The best ones come from the Piedmont region, with names like Barbera d’Asti, Barbera del Monferrato and Barbera d’Alba. The wines are often bright red, with floral aromas of red fruit and fresh, powerful flavors of berries and black cherries. The fruit is naturally high in acid, with low to moderate tannin content, and like all Italian wine, Barbera is super-food friendly. Many Barberas are easy on the wallet; we tried the 2007 Paitin di Pasquero “Serra” Barbera d’Alba for under $20 and the 2006 Agostino Pavia “La Marescialla” Barbera d’Asti for under $30.

4. Carmenere

We’ve blogged about Carménère in the past, including our summary of the AMAZING Carménère tasting that we experienced care of Wines of Chile. Carménère is often referred to as Chile’s signature grape. In fact, it’s roots are in Bordeaux, as it was one of the original Bordeaux grapes, before phylloxera nearly wiped it out in France. Often used as a blending grape, the wines tend to have a deep red color and aromas found in red fruits, spices and berries. They tend to be medium-bodied, with soft and gentle tannins. When wines are produced from grapes at optimal ripeness, they have cherry-like, fruity flavors with smoky, spicy and earthy notes and a deep crimson color. Those from Chile often have a vegetal thing going on, usually bell pepper. Try the “Amplus One” Carménère from Santa Ema for under $20 or for a step up, the Concha y Toro Terrunyo Carmenere, which consistently scores in the 90’s and retails in the low-to-mid $30’s.

5. Petite Sirah

Petite Sirah is another historically famous blending grape which by the way is not related to Syrah, and truthfully there’s nothing petite about the wines it produces (the berries are small though.) The dark colored wines often taste of plums, blueberries spices and black pepper, and are often quite tannic. I have to admit, I really dig Petite Sirah. Eos in Paso Robles makes a super-crazy reserve called Cupa Grandis Petite Sirah which retails for $60, but the more affordable $25 Estate Reserve Petite Sirah is incredibly tasty.

…and before you say “Neil, I don’t like Petite Sirah…”, do me a favor and try it again. Try a different bottle (try the aforementioned Eos or Stags’ Leap Winery’s offering). And that goes for any wine you think you don’t like- (I challenge anyone who says they don’t like Merlot to take a taste of Chateau Angélus, Duckhorn or Twomey.)

And as I said at the beginning of this blog, there are tons of options beyond these five. If you don’t like any of these choices, then by all means, choose something else, just go outside of your normal routine. If you live someplace where your choices are limited, take advantage of the great selections offered online at sites like K&L or Wine.com. Yes there are shipping costs, but it might just be worth it once in an while if it means getting a chance to try something different and exciting. Be brave… experiment… take a chance! This is an expedition after all; find yourself a bottle… and open it up!