Published by Jeremy.
Disclaimers: We use demographic data, email opt-ins, display advertising, and affiliate links to operate this site. Please review our Terms and Conditions for more information. This website is intended for those of legal drinking age in your jurisdiction.
As we continue our quest to try every grape varietal in the world, you can imagine we have discovered a number of gems.
Sure, who doesn't love a great Riesling, Syrah, or Champagne when the mood strikes, but in the sea of roughly 1,500 or so commercially known grapes, these are just scratching the surface of what is out there.
So in this one, we wanted to shine a light on some of the lesser-known grape varietals out there that we have fallen in love with since starting The Grape Pursuit. Some of these, we admit, are still produced at a decent scale, and you may have heard of them. But it can also be somewhat obscure and require a bit of effort to find.
Still, if you want to go down the rabbit hole of new-to-you grapes, these are some we'd start with!
Avesso
We first discovered the Avesso grape when on a Portugal wine tour. In a way, the grape itself is often overlooked as it is grown in northern Portugal, where Vinho Verde wines are quite famous.
Admittedly, we probably have had this one in field blends in the past and never knew it, but, to us, Avesso is just a bit more interesting than its Albarinho counterpart. Yes, it is light and fruity, but most bottles we have tried have also come with some nice minerality and even honeyed characteristics to help make the wine a bit more complex.
So if you like Vinho Verde and want something a bit more intense, give Avesso a shot when you see it.
Wine Region(s): Vinho Verde, Portugal
Good if You Like: Albarinho, Hondarrabi Zuri
Bottles We've Reviewed: A&D Wines Monologo Avesso, Quinta do Fero Avesso
Okuzgozu
Okuzgozu is an indigenous red grape of the Elazig Province in Turkey, and is one of the most planted grapes in the country. Known as the “bull's eye” for its large size, this rich red grape has all the hallmarks of a classic, full-bodied red wine like Cabernet Sauvignon or Syrah.
Although our experience with most Okuzgozu is from shopping in Istanbul's duty free at the airport (they have an impressive selection of varieties available!), we have seen some limited offerings of Okuzgozu at premium wine stores in the USA.
Wine Region(s): Elazig, Turkey
Good if You Like: Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah
Bottles We've Reviewed: Eskibaglar Okuzgozu
Saperavi
Saperavi may be one of the more well-known grapes on this list, as it is one of the most produced varieties in Georgia and is growing in popularity abroad- particularly in the Finger Lakes! Although you may not expect a robust red grape to grow in such a cool climate, Saperavi is particularly suited for developing complex flavors, so do not overlook giving this one a try, even if you are in a historically cooler region.
Much like Okuzgozu, above, you'll likely be able to find some Georgian Saperavi in wine stores in the USA; however, growing holdings from the Finger Lakes also makes US-made Saperavi somewhat easy to acquire, too. Try both to see how the grape expresses itself in two different regions!
A fun fact about Saperavi is that it is just one of a few grapes that are teinturier, or whose juice also contains anthocyanin for color. So Saperavi can also make a rather interesting rose as well.
Wine Region(s): Georgia; Finger Lakes, USA
Good if You Like: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Syrah
Bottles We've Reviewed: McGregor Saperavi, Standing Stone Saperavi Rose
Turbiana
The grape Turbiana was long thought to be the same species as Trebbiano, but was only recently identified as being genetically different and a closer match to Verdicchio (although still unique in its own right).
Found primarily on the shores of Lake Garda, Italy, this one is a favorite of ours because of the prominent waxy notes found in the wine, alongside high acidity and ripe citrus notes. Our love of textural white wine pops up in our reviews repeatedly, and when it hits particularly strong in a Turbiana, we can't get enough. It just sings!
Wine Region(s): Lake Garda, Italy
Good if You Like: Riesling, Gruner Veltliner, Trebbiano
Bottles We've Reviewed: Ca dei Frati Brolettino, Ca dei Frati i Frati, Tomasi Le Fornaci Lugana
Kerner
Kerner is a unique cross between Trollinger and Riesling, and, as you may expect, it has inherited a lot of its characteristics from its parent grapes.
One of the reasons we really enjoy this grape in particular is that the expressions we have tried often showcase riper fruit flavors (think yellow apple, pineapple, grapefruit) while also being balanced nicely with light floral and phenolic notes. Once again, our love of texture rears its head with a prominent, but not overpowering presence.
So if you love Resiling and want to try something just a little different, pick up a bottle of Kerner.
Wine Region(s): Germany; Alto Adige, Italy
Good if You Like: Riesling
Bottles We've Reviewed: Abbazia di Novacella Kerner
Agiorgitiko
When we often think of Greek red wine, our first thought always goes to the big, bold Xinomavro. But you may be surprised to learn that the most widely planted red wine grape is, in fact, Agiorgitiko, which is made in a wide array of styles from soft to robust, and even rose!
Although Agiorgitiko can still hit you with tannin (even in quite old expressions, like a 15-year-old bottle we tried), its robust fruit expression reminds us a lot of an approachable Merlot or, if a bit more intense, Cabernet Sauvignon, which is quite the pleaser. But if you ever come across one with some years on it, pick it up immediately.
Wine Region(s): Nemea, Greece
Good if You Like: Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon
Bottles We've Reviewed: Monemvasia Winery Laloudi Agiorgitiko
Tsolikouri
If you have ever wanted to go down the road of skin contact white wine (often called orange wine), it's hard to overlook historically made wines from Georgia. These wines, which are often produced using natural methods and aged in traditional qvevri. Tsolikouri is one such white grape we've enjoyed as a skin contact wine made in Georgia, and hits all the right notes for being intensely aromatic with classic characteristics of skin contact all around.
In bottles we've tried, we've had riper fruit expressions as well as other unique characteristics like marmalade, honey, herbs, almond, and floral notes to name a few. But it is the pithy/rind notes that we keep going back to with this grape and style, and is one of our favorite elements to watch out for.
Wine Region(s): Georgia
Good if You Like: Natural Wine
Bottles We've Reviewed: Baia's Wine Tsolikouri, Vartsikhe Marani Tsolikouri
Souson/Sezao (formerly Sousao/Souzao)
Souson is a stellar red grape primarily grown in the Douro Valley in Portugal and across the border in nearby Galicia, Spain. Few single-varietal bottles of this grape were historically produced, as most holdings were relatively unknown and used in field blends- particularly used in Port production. So for most, you've probably had the grape, but just never knew it.
But producers are starting to understand just how delicious Sezao is as a grape, and are growing more dedicated plots with this grape for varietal bottles. If you like full-bodied wine with dark fruit, strong tannin, and more to pair with a rich lamb dish or other game, seek out Souson!
Wine Region(s): Douro Valley, Portugal; Galicia, Spain
Good if You Like: Cabernet Franc, Syrah
Bottles We've Reviewed: Quinta do Vallado Sezao
Babeasca Neagra & Feteasca Neagra
Fateasca Neagra and Babeasca Neagra (often written as Rara Neagra) are two grapes you often see in blends from Moldova. Although most of the wines produced stay local and aren't exported, some premium bottles can be found here or there, and the intense tannin structure allows them to also enjoy a bit of age, too (not unlike Agiorgitiko, above).
In a way, these two grapes come together for a blend that is highly reminiscent of an Eastern European Bordeaux blend, and for those who like intense reds with similar structure, you may want to keep an eye out for premium bottles of this blend- especially if you can find some with a bit of age!
Wine Region(s): Moldova
Good if You Like: Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot blends (Bordeaux)
Bottles We've Reviewed: Fautor Negre
Arneis
Arneis is one of the premier white grapes of Piedmont, Italy- a region more famous for the red grapes Nebbiolo, Barbera, and Dolcetto.
Although a bit more common compared to other grapes in this article, one of the reasons we fell in love with Langhe region Arneis is often that this wine comes with a nice bit of texture and minerality, along with riper fruit structure. We always love a bit of wax or phenolic notes in our white wine, and Arneis is one of those grapes that we can count on these characteristics more often than not- making it a grape we always have a few bottles of on hand at all times, regardless of producer.
Even better? As far as grapes in this guide are concerned, Arneis will be one of the more widely available. While a bottle or two may not appear at every shop, specialty stores that focus on carrying good wine should (we hope) have a few here. So pick one up!
Wine Region(s): Piedmont
Good if You Like: Gruner Veltliner
Bottles We've Reviewed: Cordero di Montezemolo Arneis, Vietti Roero Arneis
Although the above are only a selection of the many unique grapes we've tried over the years, these are among the most memorable and should be on your radar for sampling the next time you can. All of these have earned at least one permanent spot in our collection (for the grape, perhaps not necessarily any given producer), and we have really enjoyed them!
Do you have a favorite obscure grape we should try? Comment below to share!
Upgrade Your Home Wine Bar
Need to upgrade your wine bar? Grab some new wine accessories:
