Road Map for a Summer Wine Adventure

by Ed Young, Frugal MacDoogal.com Feature Writer.
Photos by Jerry Hall.
May, 2012

One of the aspects of wine that we have most enjoyed over the past four decades is the sense of adventure. Traveling to other countries, learning other languages, discovering new authors, exploring the world of music — all expand one's life experiences and enable one to grow as a person. If wine has become an enjoyable part of your life, consider enhancing that enjoyment by exercising a bit of adventure. We all get comfortable with brands, varietals, and places that become familiar. It is so easy to just drift along with the flow. But don't forget that there are undiscovered pleasures out there. I have never known anyone in the wine business who knew it all. This is an ever-changing world, and one well worth exploring. A sense of adventure will reward the seeker of wine pleasure.

If you have any wine experience, you already have some idea of the places or regions of the world that produce wines that you like. It might be Napa or Sonoma, or Bordeaux, Burgundy, the Rhone, Languedoc, or Tuscany. Maybe you've enjoyed the wines of Australia, New Zealand, or Spain or Argentina or Chile. Good wine producers all. But a recent tour of our store was revealing. Frugal sells wines from some places that you may never have thought of. Most people have never tasted a wine from the island of Sardinia. The Cannonau di Sardegna Riserva 2007, a dry red at $13.99, was recently called the "world's healthiest wine" on Good Morning America. How about Moldavia? We have Black Doctor, a sweet red, at $9.49. Georgia, a former part of the Soviet Union, is represented by Kindzmarauli, a semi-sweet red ($13.99). Want a big dry red wine? Try Nero d'Alba from Sicily ($8.99). We sell several wines from Greece. There is the traditional Retsina (Achata Clauss at $7.99), but also Kouros dry red and dry white at $12.99, and Elios red at $13.99. Maybe a wine from Hungary would please. We have Egri Bikaver (Bull's Blood) at $8.99. Most wine drinkers have tasted Port from Portugal, but maybe not one of the dry reds like Grao Vasco, a red blend at only $6.99. South Africa is making giant strides in the quality of its wines. The most famous grape grown there is probably Chenin Blanc (also known as Steen). This varietal traditionally is a bit off-dry, but the Dornier Chenin Blanc at $11.99 may change some minds about this grape. On a trip to Israel last year, we discovered some terrific wines. Frugal has Tishbi Sauvignon Blanc at $13.99 and a Cabernet Sauvignon/Syrah blend at $16.99. The Sea of Galilee is one of the most beautiful places we visited, and some very nice wines are produced in that area. Try the Moscato Galilee at $15.99; Gilgal Chardonnay at $14.99; or Yarden Mount Hermon Red Wine blend at $11.99.

Now that we've got you thinking about some countries whose wines you haven't tasted, how about some new varietals? It is so easy to fall into the trap of only drinking certain wines. Maybe you are one of those who only drinks Cabernet Sauvignon, or Pinot Noir, or Zinfandel, or Chardonnay, or Pinot Grigio. If this applies to you, there is a new world waiting to open for you. Probably the best red wine that most people haven't tried is Petite Sirah, which is neither petite nor a syrah. Totally different grape, and one that you shouldn't overlook. How about Mourvedre, a dry red Rhone varietal that is delicious! Have you ever tried Pinotage? This clone was developed in the 1920s in an effort to expand South Africa's wine production. To our knowledge it is grown nowhere else in the world and is definitely worth a try. We have Fairview Pinotage at $15.99. Frugal also has Carmenere, originally a French grape that has found a new life in Chile; Grenache, a soft, fruit-forward red that is now being grown in many places around the world; Italian Barbera, and Spanish Tempranillo (Sincero 2007 at $16.99), which is outstanding as a varietal, but also in some of the most interesting blends being produced today. Cabernet Franc has traditionally been used as a blending grape in Bordeaux wines, but have you tried it as a 100% varietal? If you favor red wines and haven't tried these, you are missing something! How about new white varietals? Have you had Torrontes? This is the most famous white coming out of Argentina (Mendoza). Frugal has Los Cowboys at $10.99. If you usually drink Pinot Grigio, try Picpoul instead. This is a white Rhone grape. Frugal has Coteaux du Languedoc Picpoul de Pinet at $9.99. We also have Les Granges Dogajolo ($8.99), a predominantly Picpoul white blend from Tuscany. For a really light white, try Calamares VinoVerde ($6.99), a Portugese wine that has become very popular. If you are looking for a white to supplant Chardonnay on your wine list, try Viognier, the greatest Rhone white in my opinion, or Albarino, a dry Spanish white.

O.K., you can seek wine adventure in countries that are new to you or in new varietals. We have one more approach, which we've found very exciting. That is staying with your favorite and familiar varietals, but trying ones that are produced in unfamiliar places. Let's take Cabernet Sauvignon for example. After a while, customers who drink this varietal find themselves locked in to Napa or Sonoma. That's a shame, because some outstanding Cabs — and with high quality/price ratios - are being produced in many other parts of the world. A Chilean winery, Root 1, makes a very good Cab for only $9.99. Also a Sauvignon Blanc for the same price. South Africa is making very nice Cabs (Excelsior at $10.99, or a blend, Dark Lady, at $18.99). When one thinks of Argentina, Malbec springs to mind, but some outstanding Cabs are coming out of Mendoza also. I have never been a big fan of Italian Pinot Grigio, but the same grape, now grown in California and Oregon and labeled as Pinot Gris, is outstanding. Another interesting development to look for is French wines with the varietal name on the label. French wine labels have traditionally listed only the place where the wine was made, and not the grape varietal, making it more difficult for the normal shopper to know what he or she is buying. Although that will probably never change at the highest end, it is kind of a welcome development for more reasonably priced bottles, and will make for more sales. Many California wineries are becoming adventurous too. They are growing new varietals such as Nebbiolo, Marsanne, Grenache, and Cinsault — grapes that weren't being grown there ten years ago.

So many wines — so little time! Think "outside the box". Let your sense of adventure take you to new wine - drinking pleasures! The "wine guys" at Frugal's can help you get there.

Read Ed Young's previous articles: Click Here.