Grape Gossip - Unusual White Grape VarietiesFor previous Grape Gossips click here
I've hosted a lot of tasting events recently, at these events I tend to get very excited (as many of you know) - and I usually show wines that are a little more unusual, things that people might not necessarily pick of the shelf. It's great to see people experimenting and trying new things, there are so many different grape varieties out there just waiting to be explored. So if you fancy pushing your wine boundaries and trying something a little bit different, here's a few grape varieties to look out for….
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| Albarino: I may have already told you this but the best selling wine at this years wine fair was an Albarino. This grape variety is widely grown in Rias Baixas in North West Spain and is, I think, one of Spain's best white varieties. It produces perfumed, aromatic and elegant wines and is high in alcohol and acidity. Often it is unoaked but some examples may have some oak ageing so make sure you check on the style. It's a fabulous way to start a meal or to drink with seafood/shellfish (and it's currently the thing to drink amongst the Ibiza jet set) |  |
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 | Cortese: An Italian grape variety closely linked to South East Piedmont and, more specifically, to the wine known as Gavi. Although the wines tend not to have huge complexity they are super 'fish'wines and if you're a fan of bone dry styles of white - this is your baby - crisp, dry with apples and pear fruit characters. |
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| Bacchus: A German crossing, bred from Silvaner x Riesling crossing and Muller Thurgau. The main bonus for growers is that it ripens early so is pretty reliable in cooler climates....so no surprise that it's a popular variety for English growers. Infact it's the fourth most planted grape variety over here and tends to produce currant flavoured wines. |  |
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 | Gruner Veltliner: if you've ever explored Austrian grape varieties then you'll have come across Gruner Veltliner. This grape is capable of making superb wines, crisp and dry with a peppery, spicy character. With age they often resemble fuller bodied Chardonnays combining a full bodied palate with remarkable perfume. |
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| Marsanne: A Rhone grape variety, and is also permitted in the Languedoc. It's also grown in Victoria, Australia and California. In the Rhone it's often paired with Roussanne in appellations such as St Joseph and Crozes Hermitage. It produces full bodied whites with marzipan, honeysuckle and sometimes glue flavours. |  |
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 | Prosecco: White variety native to the Veneto region, Northern Italy. Prosecco wines can be still but more often than not are sparkling with varying degrees of sweetness. The sparkling comes in 2 styles, frizzante (lightly sparkling) and spumante (fully sparkling) and it tends to be a little lighter than champagne. Try it with a drop of Limoncello for a refreshing aperitif. |
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| Roussanne: Named after its russet coloured skin (roux). Marsanne and Roussanne work well together and are the two vine varieties permitted in the Northern Rhone appellations - Hermitage, Crozes Hermitage and St Joseph. It ages well and can exhibit lemon, green tea, herb and spice characters together with refreshing acidity. You can also find it in California, Southern France and Australia. |  |
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 | Torrontes: This is the name of a Galician grape variety (North West Spain) and also is commonly grown in Argentina. It's never been a grape variety I've got terribly excited about however a few recent tastings have shown me that is can produce some very interesting aromatic, quite distinctive crisp white wines. Definitely worth a punt.
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| Verdelho: Portuguese white grape variety, used in the making of Madeira (sitting somewhere in between Bual and Sercial in terms of richness). You're more likely to find it as a lemony, slightly tropical, full bodied table wine in Australia, notably the Hunter Valley and the hotter regions in Western Australia. |  |
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