With its diverse climates and soil conditions, California offers a perfect home for more than 110 different kinds of wine grape varietals. From Albariño to Zinfandel, they thrive in coastal canyons and interior valleys, providing a heady selection for imbibers with adventurous palates.
As American wine buyers expand their horizons, they begin to look beyond hearty Burgundy and white Zinfandel. Eager to oblige, area winemakers have happily produced an array of unusual and compelling wines for our sipping pleasure.
Most of these “emerging varietals” have been around for a very long time. Here on the West Coast, their obscurity and often-hard-to-pronounce names may have kept them waiting in the wings, but due to changing tastes and daring vintners, many are making their way to center stage.
Emerging from the shadow of the Chardonnay-Pinot Noir-Cabernet Sauvignon juggernaut of popular preference, varietals like Viognier, Marsanne, and Sangiovese find ready acceptance in the marketplace. The first two offer crisp, delicate flavors typical of the best white Rhônes; the third satisfies those who love Italian big reds—and all three are refreshingly different.
Another red making waves is Nebbiolo, a finicky varietal hailed as one of Italy’s noble grapes. It produces a terra-cotta-hued wine that bears high tannins in youth, but develops intriguing notes of violet, cherries, and tobacco after a few years in the cellar.
Lafond Winery makes a lovely Nebbiolo from fruit grown in the Santa Ynez Valley (Stolpman Vineyard) and ages it in barrel for nearly two years before bottling. Similarly, Mandolina Winery’s Nebbiolo rests in seasoned barrels for a full 29 months, resulting in a smooth wine with mellow flavors of dried cherry and spice.
Tempranillo, one of Spain’s primary wine grapes, prefers warm climates and has proven a winner in Santa Ynez Valley vineyards. Often described as having characteristics of strawberries and bright cherries, this grape yields wines that are hearty, acidic, and full bodied.
Tempranillo has performed well in the hands of Rick Longoria, whose Longoria Wines produces a rich, purple vintage with a velvety texture and hints of jammy blackberries. At Verdad, Louisa Lindquist blends her Tempranillo with a little Syrah and Grenache to build lush texture and bright berry components.
When Andrew Joughin, vineyard manager at Lafond Winery, installed his own eight-acre vineyard in Los Olivos many years ago, he anticipated the wine market’s demand for novelty and expressly planted unusual grape varieties suited to a warm climate. He included four acres of Lagrein, an Italian grape that caught the eye of Bruce McGuire, Santa Barbara Winery’s longtime winemaker.
The 2006 Santa Barbara Winery Lagrein boasts big rich tannins, lush fruit, and a startlingly dark color. Despite its bold character, this wine pairs nicely with food, especially stewed meats and flavorful cheeses.
Taking its place among the deepest, darkest reds that Santa Barbara County has to offer, the robust Dornfelder inspires wine buffs to smile in wonder. Norm Huber, owner of Huber Cellars, in the Santa Rita Hills, first planted Dornfelder in 1987 after receiving a bundle of unlabeled plants from houseguests visiting from Europe.
A German hybrid developed in 1956, Dornfelder contains inky black tannins and lots of berry, cherry, and fruit flavors. Pair it with wild game, grilled beef, hard cheeses, or even, according to Huber, Black Forest cake.
At the white end of the spectrum, Pinot Grigio has been available for a while, but only recently gained the prominence it deserves. It typically bears fresh aromas of flowers and stone fruits, flavors reminiscent of pears and lime zest, and a crisp acidity.
Way ahead of the local curve, Rick Longoria produced his first Pinot Grigio in 1999. He continues to make this warm-weather favorite in a classic Italian style that matches well with seafood and summer salads.
At Morovino Cellars, owners Andrea and David Bradford recently released the 2008 Pinot Grigio, their first solo vintage as winemakers. Right out of the gate, this crisp thirst quencher won medals at both the Orange County and California State fairs.
When winemaker Ken Volk founded Wild Horse Winery in 1983, he planted 33 varieties of grapes that included the obscure Blaufrankisch and Verdelho. At Kenneth Volk Vineyard, near Santa Maria, he continues to champion oddball varietals by making a line of “underappreciated rarities,” among them Malvasia, Mourvedre, and Negrette.
“There are 2,000 classified wine grapes,” Volk said, “and the heirlooms have been around 200, even 2,000 years. But the international nature of wine has driven the business to under six varietals: Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Merlot, and Pinot Noir, which make up 85 percent of all the wine produced.”
Through his efforts to preserve and promote heirloom and unusual grapes, Volk hopes to ensure that the market is not “dominated by the chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry varieties,” and that there remain plenty of worthy choices for wine lovers with adventurous palates. m
K. Reka Badger knows where to go to please an adventurous palate. E-mail comments or ideas to rekabadger@hotmail.com.
This article appears in Aug 6-13, 2009.
