Most of us know the more common grape varietals such as sauvignon blanc, pinot grigio, merlot and cabernet sauvignon. Those with an interest in expanding their horizons might venture into more esoteric territory, parsing the pleasures of grüner veltliner, chenin blanc, petite sirah and tempranillo. But, like the foodie that’s moved on from supermarket tomatoes and now scours greenmarket stalls for varieties they’ve never tasted, the adventurous wine drinker seeks out lesser known regions and grape varietals in pursuit of diversity and new experiences.
According to wine writer and editor Jancis Robinson, there are over ten thousand grape varietals in the world, and in her book Wine Grapes: A Complete Guide to 1,368 Vine Varieties, Including Their Origins and Flavours, she catalogues most that are used to make wine across the globe. Living in NYC, we’re lucky enough to have access to a wide array of wines made from heirloom grapes. Astor Wines, for example, allows you to search for bottles made from nearly 400 different grapes. For the wine adventurer, there’s a treasure trove of new experiences out there. (You should know that the reason we are so blessed in New York is because we have state laws that encourage the proliferation of wine and spirit importers and distributors, many of whom specialize in representing small producers from off the beaten path. Have you noticed that in other parts of country the selections are much more limited? Our laws in NY, which are constantly under attack by big corporate interests, are the reason why we have such a delightfully wide array of choices.)
The most popular grape varietals are popular for good reason: they make very good wine. But there are other reasons that these wines are ubiquitous, having to do with everything from fashion/trends to the heartiness of the grape and its ability to yield a consistent crop, year in and out. Heirloom varietals might be fickle, susceptible to mildew or pests, or may only prosper in specific soils in a specific micro-climate. Sauvignon blanc generally provides a very consistent crop in a variety of conditions and soils. So, if you’re a farmer who grows grapes for a living, you’re probably tempted to rip out those ancient local grape vines that no one’s ever heard of, and plant some sauvignon blanc. If you’re a farmer that honors tradition, however, maybe you keep a few rows and make a smallish amount of wine that a smallish importer wants to bring to NYC.
[pullquote]for us, wine isn’t just a joyously diverse agricultural product, it’s a fascinating and complex expression of earth, sun and craft[/pullquote]
Some of these wines are nearly extinct, and some are still robust within their region, but rarely seen outside it. Erbaluce is a great example of a such a grape, with numerous vintners in and around the commune of Caluso in the alpine foothills of Northwest Piedmont making delicious white wine from this ancient varietal that is rarely grown outside the area. Erbaluce can be made into sparkling, dessert, and dry table wines. We love the 2013 “La Torrazza” erbaluce from Ferrando, a crisp, dry wine, with flavors of apples and citrus and a delightfully subtle minerality. It’s really great with most anything, especially seafood and chicken. (Available at Rose Water, and Slope Cellars on Seventh Ave in Park Slope, slopecellars.com, $17.99.)
In Eastern France the altesse grape is grown in the two neighboring wine regions of Savoy and Bugey. Altesse (sometimes known as Roussette) makes lovely white wine with mountain flower and herb aromas, and light to medium weight and body. Altesse is a late ripening grape and has a low crop yield compared to most grapes, but for many winemakers in these two regions it’s a beautiful expression of their land and history. Our friend Franck Peillot makes one of our favorite Altesse wines in the lovely Bugey mountain hamlet of Montagnieu. His Altesse is complex, and in addition to the characteristic minerality and acidity, in most vintages the bones of Franck’s Altesse are filled out with just enough flesh to make it a perfect accompaniment to sauteed or roasted fish, especially of the freshwater variety. Franck’s Altesse starts out fresh and linear, and after a couple years bottle-aging, it starts to turn more golden and rich. It’s a good wine to buy a few bottles to drink now, a year from now, and save one for 5 or more years to experience its development. (At RW, and Astor Wines, astorwines.com, $23.96)
A half hour drive southwest out of the mountains from the Cave Peillot, over the Rhone River and into the department of Isere, is the Domaine Nicolas Gonin. Nicolas has been described as the patron saint of orphaned grapes. He’s done extensive research into the wine history of his region, and works to revive varietals, some of which are nearly extinct. One such varietal is Persan, which was nearly wiped out after the phylloxera epidemic of the late 1800’s, and, unlike other grapes of the region, was barely replanted. Nicolas’ Persan is a joy – a midweight red with a delicious black currant fruitiness, minerality and an enjoyably tannic rusticity that pairs well with poultry and red meats. Like most heirloom grapes it’s reminiscent of other wines, in this case Syrah, but it very much has it’s own unique character. (At RW, and Flatiron Wines, flatiron-wines.com, $23.99.)
It’s that unique character that drives our passion to keep exploring the diverse world of wine, and these are just three of the heirloom varietals we love. There are so many more – far too numerous to cover in one column, but a sampling of other, lesser known varietals that we recommend that you seek out are whites including Assyrtiko from the Greek Island of Santorini, Prié Blanc from the Valle d’Aosta in Northwest Italy, the Hodarribi Zurri that goes Txokolina from Northern Spain, and reds include Frappato from Sicily, Mencia from Bierzo in Northwestern Spain, Freisa and Ruché from Piedmont in Italy, and Pineau d’Aunis from the Loire in France.
Just as we support small regional farms in the Northeast that provide us with everything from heirloom pig to heirloom corn that we grind for our polenta, it follows that at Rose Water we seek out and support small farmers of heirloom grapes (but we can and do look further afield for wine). We love to offer our customers unique wine experiences – for us, wine isn’t just a joyously diverse agricultural product, it’s a fascinating and complex expression of earth, sun and craft that we have the pleasure of sampling from across the globe, and sharing with you.
John Tucker
JOHN TUCKER is a long-time resident of Park Slope and the owner of Rose Water since it’s opening in 2000. John’s odd career arc has seen him, among other things, hanging gutters in his home state of Michigan, to Wonder Bread sales supervisor in New Jersey, to being the grandpappy of sustainable dining in Brooklyn since the turn of the century. Along the way he developed a deep affection for wine.