Varietals

Jura is place unto itself. An oddball of French wine regions. There’s plenty of Chardonnay and Pinot for those looking something more familiar, but above all, it’s the realm of Poulsard, Trousseau and, especially, Savagnin.

Many believe that Alsatian wines are sweet and mild. But is that fact or fiction?

Located not far from Turin, Piedmont is the land of Nebbiolo, the well-known red grape that is used in the production of many a great wine. But it is also home to many other treasures, both wine and food included.

Quebec knows this cepage as the source of Madiran wines. Yet it has also seen great success in other soils!

Describing Aussie winemaking in just a few lines is tricky. The offer down under is more diverse than ever and behind us are the days of the monolithic full-bodied Australian wine. Recent years have ushered in new quality-focussed producers, and lately they’ve been taking a much more balanced approach to the craft.

Dry, sweet, sparkling or still, Chenin Blanc makes a great accompaniment to any meal.

Riding on the prestige of the Grands Crus from Médoc, Cabernet Sauvignon has become the most planted red grape variety on the planet, just ahead of Merlot, another variety that originated in Bordeaux.

Grenache is now one of the most popular varieties on the planet, thanks in part to its great expressive diversity. Here are a few Spanish examples.

Rare is a grape variety as multifaceted as this magnificent white originating from the Loire Valley, that can produce dry, lively wines, rich and floral vintages, and even the entire range of sweet wines, including dessert wines and even botyrized wines (those affected by what we call “noble rot”)—not to mention sparkling wines of great quality. Its aromas of pear and sometimes peach, white flowers, and even honey or wet wool, are endowed with remarkable complexity.

An underestimated Mediterranean grape variety! For quite some time, very little merit has been accorded to Cinsault, a grape variety originating from the Rhône and Languedoc regions. Or perhaps it’s more accurate to say it has been granted only a single virtue: its ability to produce a high volume of fruit—perfect for creating inexpensive cuvées or easy-to-drink rosés for guzzling.

When it comes to those lesser-known grape varieties that turn out to be veritable treasures, Mencia is definitely hard to beat. A grape variety primarily found in the Bierzo and Ribera Sacra districts in the northern Spain, Mencia is also known as Jaen in Portugal, where it is used in the production of Dão wines. Some 30 years ago, it had a pretty modest reputation.

Identifying grape varieties: a real challenge!