Tenuta Regaleali is a wine producer we had our sights on when visiting Sicily but, sadly, did not make it out to visit. So when we found a bottle of their Guarnaccio (Perricone) in the store, we knew we had to pick it up to take home.
While perhaps a lesser-known grape by Sicilian standards, this one packed a punch and showcases why Sicily is one of the most versatile, and delicious, wine regions in Italy!
Occhipinti has quickly become one of our favorite producers in Sicily, and this Vittoria-based winery makes some of the finest Frappato and Nero d'Avola you'll find on the island.
But this one makes more than these famous grapes, and their SP68 Bianco is one such bottle featuring Albanello and Muscat of Alexandria- or as it is known in Sicily, Zibibbo!
After finding this one in a store in Ragusa, we knew we had to pick up a bottle to take home with us and enjoy later- partly for being one of the only bottles containing Albanello we have ever seen. For those who like bright, semi-floral bottles, this one is for you!
The Corsican grape Sciacarellu is often fairly hard to come by, and until recently we've only ever found it used as a blending grape in small percentages. But Domaine Giacometti offers a varietal bottle in their Sempre Contentu, and we were quite eager to try this one out as soon as we received it.
For lovers of a warm climate Pinot Noir, this grape should definitely be on your radar as it is quite similar!
We love Riesling from the Mosel valley in Germany, and one of the reasons for this is that you can often find it in an array of styles- from dry to sweet and everything in between.
One form of Riesling we often see less of is when it is made with skin contact, producing a richly colored orange wine. The skin contact often adds ample new flavors and complexities that you would otherwise not get with light pressing. Sybille Kuntz Organic Riesling was one such wine, and this one certainly packed a punch!
The more we get into trying obscure grape varietals, the more we are brought back to Turkish wines. First, because the country is home to many indigenous species. But second, they're also quite delicious!
So when we found Pasaeli's 6N Karasakiz in a local store, we knew we had to give this one a go.
While brighter and more vibrant than other Turkish reds we've had, this one hit on some light and fresh red fruit notes that we can always enjoy!
Hybrid grapes are often quite interesting, as they typically are crosses between a European vinifera grape and an indigenous North American varietal.
Baco Noir is one such grape which is considered to be a cross of Folle Blanche (French) and an unknown species from the Americas. It is growing across many US states and Canada, and is one you may see pop up from time to time in the Finger LAkes region of upstate New York.
We found a delightful bottle of Heron Hill's Reserve Baco Noir during one trip to the region and promptly forgot about it in our cellar for six years. Thankfully, a bit of age on this one ended up being a great thing!
During our exploration of wineries near Seattle, we stumbled upon Latta and immediately fell in love.
First it started with a bottle we picked up at a wine shop to take to dinner. Then we visited the winery the very next day. And now, of course, we are converts and try to enjoy their wines whenever possible.
The Dana Dibble Syrah was one such bottle that made our way into our collection (courtesy of our friends in Seattle who brought it for us as gift knowing how much we like them), and this one hits some great notes for a Rhone-forward style Syrah from Washington!
Georgia is often considered to be the birthplace of wine, with known production dating back roughly 8,000 years.
But what is the oldest grape?
Well, that is hard to say. But Dzelshavi is considered to be one of the oldest grape varieties documented in Georgia, and has history dating back 1,500 years. Today, it is still grown in Georgia, and Vartsikhe Maran's Dzelshavi certainly is an interesting one!
Retsina is an interesting style of wine made in Greece that is made in memory of the historic winemaking practice from millennia ago.
Winemaking in early Greece involved sealing amphorae with resin in order to minimize contact with the air. Some of that resin made its way into the wine, and tastes started to like the pine-y flavor that the resin added.
After moving to more traditional winemaking methods, some producers opted to add resin to wine to keep this flavor despite not needing it for production purposes, and modern day Retsina is the result!
I had always wanted to get my hands on a bottle of Retsina to see what it is like, and when I found Papagiannakos Retsina, I knew I had to try it. While not my preferred style, I have to admit, it isn't bad!
We've been fortunate enough to try most of Champagne Dumenil's bottles due to them being available by a local distributor, and have tried many gems (including their Prestige Vieilles Vignes which has been one of our favorites we have tried to date).
Their Amour de Cuvee is a Blanc de Noir style made with Meunier and Pinot Noir which hit us with classic Champagne notes as well as modest lees and a bit of age to go along with it!
