A new year for wine exploration
by Brenda Francis
Here's a New Years resolution that is fun and very easy to keep; broaden your wine comfort zone. There are many bottles of wine on the shelves that are not merlot, cabernet sauvignon, chardonnay, or pinot grigio. Many examples of these tasty non-mainstream wines are around $10.
     Chardonnay drinkers can vary their experiences by dabbling in lush varieties such as torrontés from Argentina, albariño from Spain, or viognier. Viognier is very exotic. It has notes of pear, melon, summer flowers, and perfume. It is low in acidity, which gives it a rich mouthfeel.
     Pinot grigio drinkers should try verdejo from Rueda, Spain, a gardenia-like malvasia from Italy, or Orvieto from Umbria, Italy for a crisp, zesty alternative. Orvieto is a famous village that was used as a Papal retreat in centuries past. The white wine from this village is a blend of several aromatic white grapes. Look to the Classico designation for an elegant, tangerine and almond flavored treat.
     Open your world to blending. Many varietals compliment each other and create a synergy of flavor. Try a blend with two or more of the following, mourvèdre, grenache, syrah, cinsaut, or carignan. Zinfandel can be blended with other grapes with great success, especially when it is part of a 'field blend.' Field blends are a hodgepodge of grapes grown, harvested, and vinified together. Many field blends contain old vines, which produce small amounts of intensely flavored grapes.
     Look for merlot or cabernet sauvignon blended with cabernet franc-or try something completely different, opt for a bottle of 100% cabernet franc. It has many of the attributes we've come to love in a cabernet sauvignon; after all cab-franc is its parent grape, but is a touch brighter and more herbaceous, with notes of boysenberry and an elegant finish.
     For those that aren't afraid of a little tannin in their red wine, monastrell from Spain, petit sirah, or a ripasso from Veneto will do a steak justice. Ripassos are nicknamed 'baby Amarones.' Amarones are made by drying the best grapes for several months, until most of the water is evaporated before they are crushed. The subsequent juice is extremely intensified. Ripassos utilize the pumice, the remnants of Amarone fermentation, to add a rich facet to Valpolicella. Where Amarones are $40 or better, ripasso are rarely over $20.
     If you like merlot-carmèneré from Chile or a Rioja from Spain can be a smooth, yet scrumptiously ripe experience. Rioja is made from the tempranillo grape. When this grape is grown in larger quantities, its wine is lighter in body, with soft notes of ripe cherries. When Rioja is made with lower yield vineyards, it takes on a dense, smoky, mocha flavor.
     Focus on unfamiliar regions and grapes at the next wine tasting you attend. The world grows thousands of different varieties. Many wine regions are obscure, yet have been around for hundreds, if not thousands of years. Your favorite wine shop staff can use your current tastes as a gauge to find new bottles for your broadened comfort zone. Explore these reasonably priced suggestions.