Noticing Trends: Riesling

We've been at this for three years now, and in that time I think we've tried more Riesling than any other grape. If you look back through our reviews, you definitely see some trends for this varietal. In our experience, Rieslings can be most commonly described as:

Descriptor: Crisp
Flavors & Nose: Peach, Apple, and Lemon
Body: Light

Trying a New Riesling

At this point, we are pretty confident about Riesling. We've tried traditional German Rieslings, a whole slew of Rieslings from New York, and some amazing ones from California. So upon discovering a Riesling from Chile, we jumped at the chance to do some comparison.

Going with what we know, we poured a glass to go along with Friday night take-out from the local Indian restaurant. Riesling does well with spicy dishes. Even the lightest and driest version usually have a thickness and sweet flavors that cool the tongue. Of course, with a truly hot vindaloo, you can't really expect any wine to stand up to the searing heat. But with a milder Malai Kofta (vegetable balls in a lightly spicy tomato cream sauce), a nice crisp Riesling can cut through the richness of the cream and soothe the tongue after the hot chilies kick in.

This is what we would expect from any Riesling. So, what did we get from the Chilean Riesling? For the most part, it matched up to what we know: it was crisp, with citrus and apple flavors. What was different and unexpected was some strong savory herbal notes that reminded us of sauvignon blanc... in a good way.

Traditional Wine Blends

Sometimes a winemaker will blend varietals to make up for a weakness in the primary grape. But sometimes it's the style that they are going for:

• Bordeaux is the most well known wine blend. The world famous red wine is made from a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, with maybe some Malbec, Petit Verdot, or Carmenere - all grown int he Bordeaux region of France. The white Bordeaux is a blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillion. 
• Meritage is a blend of the same grapes as Bordeaux, but from wine regions outside of France.
• Champagne is another famous blend, usually Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay, and often a blend of different vintages of grapes as well.
• The red wines from the Rhone regions of France, including the world famous Hermitage and Chateauneuf-du-Pape can be a blend of up to 21 different varietals.
• The reds wines from Rioja, Spain are usually a blend of Tempranillo and Grenache.
• While the traditional wines of the Tuscany DOCG are made from 100% Sangiovese, young producers created blends with other varietals like Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, or Syrah to revitalize the region with the now famous Super Tuscan wines.
• On the other hand, traditional Chianti wine allows for a blending in of other grapes, like Canaiolo, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, or even some white grapes.

Wine Cheat Sheet: Sauvignon Blanc

Did You Know?... About the Wines of Chile

Like northern California, Chile relies on mountains to funnel sea breezes to cool its vineyards that otherwise might be too warm. Warm, sunny days tempered by cool evenings, with a long growing period means that a wide range of grapes thrive here.

Among red grapes, Chile grows most of the more popular varietals: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Syrah, and Malbec. Most notably though, they also grow Carmenere, a European varietal that disappeared from the Old World, only to be found among Merlot vines in Chile a century ago.

For white grapes, the country focuses on Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. Vintners are starting to explore other whites as well, creating fragrant and vibrant Gewurztraminer and Viognier, and bracingly crisp Rieslings.

How-To: Pick an Alternative to Chardonnay

Maybe you are having a guest over who refuses to drink Chardonnay. Maybe you are out at a bar that doesn't serve Chardonnay. The good news it that Chardonnay is a versatile grape that falls on a large spectrum of flavor profiles, which means other white wines can often seem close enough" to it.

On the left is the Chardonnay grape based on region, and on the right is the comparison grape. (And yes, the Rioja mentioned is a white Rioja, which is less common than its red counterpart.)

How-To: Read a Wine List--Different Names for the Same Wines

It's useful to remember that the various wine regions around the world label their wines in their own way. A "Pinot Noir" here is labeled "Burgundy" (for its region) there. While there are some differences based on where the grapes are grown, most of us will probably like a Pinot Noir from Oregon as much as we do one from France. So keep an eye out for these names.

Burgundy: The famous red wine from France is typically made from Pinot Noir. The white wine from the region is made from Chardonnay.

Bordeaux: The red wine from this region of France is made from a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot. In the US, this blend is often referred to as Meritage. The white wines from Bordeaux are made from Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon.

Syrah: This grape is found in some of the great appellations of the Rhone region of France, like Hermitage. It is also the same grape as Shiraz from Australia. It is not the same grape as Petite Syrah.

Sauvignon Blanc: The regions of the Loire Valley in France, like Sancerre and Pouilly-Fume, use this white grape, and it is used to make Fume Blanc in the New World (where it is aged in barrels to give it its smoky - or, fume, notes).

Zinfandel: Very similar to the Primitivo in Italy, although there has been recent argument they are not the same grape.

Pinot Grigio = Pinot Gris, although the "style" of the wine produced is different.

Why Bother Remembering Wine Names?

With wine, there are a lot of things to remember. Regions, winemakers, varietals, vintages, and more. It's a lot for to keep track of for most of us. It will be worth your while, however, to remember this key trick (one we use all the time). If you are looking for Chardonnay, but the glass from California is a little too expensive for your tastes, knowing that cheaper glass of Chablis or Burgundy on the menu is exactly the same grape can be a saving grace. Knowing the most common wine regions in France and the main grapes grown there can help you pinpoint what you want on the most longwinded, foreign-sounding wine list. Still learning? You should never be afraid to ask the server for a "Chardonnay" on the "less expensive" side. If they know their stuff, they'll point out that Chablis for you.

How-To: An Attempt to Compare Wine and Beer

Sometimes, a wine drinker ends up at a beer hall. Or a beer fanatic ends up in a wine bar. You might know what to expect from one type of drink, but have no idea about another. Since one is made from fruit and the other is made from grains, the flavors vary pretty significantly (obviously), but there are some common flavor profiles to look for that might help you pick a beer similar to your favorite wine...or vice versa.

Did you know?... About Torrontes Wine

Torrontes is a white wine from Argentina. The wine tends to be crisp and aromatic, with flavors of peaches and apricots. The best versions can have a smoother, richer mouthfeel with a balance of acidity, fruit, and floral notes, but if a producer isn't careful the wine can have a bitter edge.

White Wines in Winter

Did You Know?... About Sauvignon Blanc

Sauvignon Blanc is a white grape grown throughout the world. The typical version from France, especially in Bordeaux, tends towards strong grassy flavors. When aged in wood, the wine is considered "Fume Blanc", as the wood imparts the taste of wood with a hint of smoke. In warmer climates, Sauvignon Blanc can tend towards more tropical fruit notes.

What Italian Varietals are Grown in the United States?

Exploring United States-grown Italian varietals requires some effort, but once you start looking, you find them everywhere. California's varying climates and vast production leads the way, with thousands of acres of Italian varietals under production. Barbera and Tocai Friulano are not uncommon there. Pinot Gris, the French version of Pinot Grigio, can be found all over the United States, as can Sangiovese, the grape used in Chianti. Other U.S. regions experiment with  varietals like Montepulciano, Aglianico, and even more esoteric grapes. It's fun to try something "different" from a favorite winemaker, especially from large producers known for their Chardonnay, Cabernet, and Merlot. You might have to do some digging, however, to find these grapes in your local wine store. Some might argue that Italian grapes should stay in Italy, where they are meant to be grown. If we went with that premise, though, we wouldn't have wine regions in this country: all of our wine grapes were imported at one point or another.

Did You Know?... About Italian Varietals

Italy has a wine culture all its own. Many of its grapes can only be found here:

Whites

Moscato: A white grape, used to make a sweet sparkling wine.
Fruliano: The main white wine of the Fruili region, with delicate flavors.
Trebbiano: Blended with Garganega to make Soave wine, this is one of the most widely planted grapes in the world.
Verdicchio: An aggressively acidic white wine made in the Marche region near Rome.

Reds

Aglianico: A big, "rustic" wine from the Campania region
Barbera: Easier to grow than Nebbiolo, it produces a lighter wine.
Nebbiolo: The grape used in Barolo wines, probably the most renowned Italian grape.
Primitivo: The ancestor of Zinfandel.
Sangiovese: Used to make the well known Chianti wine.

Learning New Varietals with Schiava

It is difficult to learn everything there is to know about wine. There are varietals that show up only in certain countries or regions. This seems particularly true of Italy. As we explore Italian wines, we come across grapes we have seen nowhere else. A recommendation for "something we might not have seen before" from Union Square Wines led us to the Schiava grape.

Trying a new varietal can be a difficult experience to quantify. Without a base of knowledge, how are you to know if the wine tastes the way it is "supposed to"? Our answer would be, don't worry about that. If you have to compare it to something, compare it to other wines you might know, and see what you can learn.

The bottle of Schiava was something unique. We thought it might be comparable to a cool climate Pinot Noir, but throw in citrus flavors to go along with the light red fruits and earthiness. This one bottle was enough to pique our interest to try more in the Schiava family.

What Is With All These Crazy Grape Names?

According the 2010 US Wine Report, the top ten varietals in the United States are Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Merlot, Pinot Noir, French Colombard, Syrah, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, and Rubired. Of those, I have never heard of French Colombard or Rubired. This just goes to show that while someone with some wine knowledge might recognize the common varietals, there is a huge world of wine grapes out there, and one struggles to know all of them. With rare grapes from regions of the Old World that seldom see export, to new crossbreeds being developed, don't be startled if you are unsure about the varietal. Give it a try, and you may find some new and secret treasure!

Did You Know?... About Monastrell

Monastrell is a red grape from Spain, also known as Mourvedre in France. It shows up in the New World infrequently, often in blends. It tends to produce earthy wines, with hints of red fruit, high in alcohol and tanins. Given the strong backbone and deep flavors, it can age well. In France, it makes up part of Rhone blends.

What Grapes are in Port?

Port is a style of dessert wine originally from Portugal but now made throughout the winemaking world. The wine is defined by the style in which it is made, not the grapes used. The grapes vary, depending on where the wine is made.

Portugal:
Controlled by the Instituto do Vinho do Porto, the grapes used for port in Portugal are closely controlled and are usually:
-Tinta Barroca 
-Tinta Cão
-Tempranillo
-Touriga Francesa
-Touriga Nacional

New World:
Much more flexible in their definition of Port, New World wine makers have a range of grapes they can use, depending on climate and what local grapes will best work to match the style.
-Portugese varietals
-Zinfandel
-Cabernet Sauvignon
-Petite Sirah
-Chardonnay
-Sauvignon Blanc
-Chambourcin
-Marechal Foch

Cheat Sheets: Labrusca Grapes

Did You Know?... About Petite Sirah

Petite Sirah is a warm region grape similar in style to its cousins, Syrah and Shiraz. It is a small but prolific grape, with a strong tannic structure that makes it valued for blending, especially common with Californian Zinfandel.