New Year’s Resolution: Scrap the Standard Grape
By Matt Sheker
I have a simple New Year’s resolution for all wine enthusiasts around the globe: try different varietals of wine from unfamiliar growing climates. Given the fact that there are over 5,000 different varietals of grapes around the world, with over 70 countries producing wine, the pursuit of different wines is endless.
New Zealand is known for its sauvignon blancs; however, try one from California instead and notice the distinct difference in the two styles. Most people are familiar with the Rieslings from Germany, but what about a Riesling from Alsace in France? Australia transplanted the syrah vines from France and renamed them Shiraz, yet produce the wine in a new-world style using American oak, which completely changes the same grape.
Try wines that do not have well-known labels. Everyone is familiar with Gallo, Beringer, Sutter Home, Mondavi, Kendall-Jackson, BV, Silver Oak, and Dom Perignon; but what about Schug, Galante, Midnight Cellars, Bernard & Griffin, or Duval Leroy? Some smaller individually owned and operated vineyards could open your eyes to quality wines that are available to the consumer, but may be limited in availability because they are produced in smaller quantities.
Set aside a couple of bottles. You can purchase some wines now at a lower price and then store them for a couple years—they are designed to get better with age. Today, a 1997 cabernet from Napa Valley might be a little pricey; however, if you purchased the wine back in 1997 when it was first released and laid it aside until now, you made out like a bandit.
Experiment with wines at restaurants. Restaurants are known for carrying only name-brand wines because consumers recognize the labels. Try ordering a wine you have not yet heard of, and make sure to ask your server if this wine will complement the food you have ordered. Always try to pair your wine with food. This seems like a daunting task, but it is really quite easy. Some wine stores even have food-pairing charts that can assist you.
Lastly, allow your wine to open up and breathe. Use a decanter on your wine, and allow it to mix with oxygen and expose the nuances that make this wine unique. Taste a big, heavy red like a cabernet, or try a Bordeaux blend right after it is opened. Then decant the rest of the wine and try it again in thirty minutes, sixty minutes, two hours. Note how the fruit of the wine begins to mellow and the finish becomes more dominant. The true essence of the wine reveals itself.
For your New Year’s resolution, expand your palate and your wine knowledge—try an unfamiliar grape from an unknown region. Whether you’re purchasing from a wine shop or selecting from the wine menu at your favorite restaurant, I guarantee you will find a new favorite for your wine cellar.