California, the land of sunshine, sprawling vineyards, and world-renowned wines, often conjures images of buttery Chardonnays and bold Cabernet Sauvignons. But what if I told you there's a whole other side to the California wine story, waiting to be explored? A side where lesser-known white grape varieties whisper tales of innovation, terroir, and unique flavor profiles? Buckle up California wine lovers, because we're diving into the exciting world of California's "underdog" white grapes!
Why
Step aside, predictable Pinot Noir! Cast aside that Cabernet comfort blanket! Shove Sauvignon Blanc to the side, because here we're throwing a sun-drenched fiesta for the underdog, the chameleon, the globetrotting wanderer of the wine world – Grenache! This ruby-shimmering grape deserves not just a sip, but a full-blown toast, a vibrant ode to its soul that whispers tales of Spanish hills and dusty Rhône valleys. So clear your palate, vino adventurers, and get ready to paint your taste buds with
Rose wine is the trending white wine and is having a moment.
That's right, rose wine is no longer just a summery drink to enjoy on the patio. It's now a year-round favorite among wine lovers of all ages. And for the right reasons. Rose wine is refreshing, versatile, and can be enjoyed with a variety of foods. It is always available in every wine store.
In this article, we will discuss five of the most popular rose wines available in wine stores and online wine delivery in 2023. We will also prov
The Duboeuf family has been producing wine in the south of France for more than four centuries, but it wasn't until 1964 that Georges Duboeuf launched Les Vins Georges Duboeuf.
Duboeuf's perpetual quest for high quality grapes adheres to his ancestors’ traditional methods, rooted in unique terroir and authentic winemaking techniques, rigorous selection, and careful monitoring at bottling time. This translates into exporting locally favorite IGP varietals from the Burgundy regions of Beaujolais an
Chile’s signature grape varietal arrived just before phylloxera hit Europe in the mid 19th century. With the country's new wine region just getting established, a few Carménère cuttings were imported and planted in the valleys of Santiago among Merlot vines. Despite the sparse rainfall and hot days, they immediately flourished in their new climate.
Carménère was at first confused for “Chilean Merlot” until a 1994 DNA analysis revealed its true identity. Further complicating things, Carménère wa
From a country that exports the most star soccer players and sets the bar for lavish Carnival celebrations the world over, it's easy to overlook Brazil as a major wine producer.
Encompassing nearly 2,500 miles along Brazil’s eastern border, six main wine regions contain nearly 24,800 acres of 150 well established wineries as well as 1,100 small farm wineries, each averaging five vineyard acres.
Now the fifth largest in the Southern Hemisphere and one of the fastest growing markets in the world, B
Garofoli Winery, one of the oldest family-owned winemakers in Italy's Marche region, dates back to 1871 and still specializes in 100-percent single vineyard Verdicchio, a drier white varietal ranging from still to sparkling renowned for distinctive purity and verve. Way before the Garofolis took over, the winery's origins are rooted in the Middle Ages catering to local pilgrims streaming into the nearby Basilica della Santa Casa. The Bascilica still remains Europe's most visited pilgrimage chur
A region within the province of Brescia in northern Italy's Lombardy region, Franciacorta is renowned for panoramic village views, castles, and rolling hills that naturally inspire artistic expression and overall joie de vivre.
For 16 days in 2016 during the months of June and July, over one million visitors "walked across water" on a pop up art installation on Lake Iseo called Christo Floating Piers. A 1.9-mile modular floating dock system constructed of 220,000 high-density polyethylene cubes c
Southwest France is defined by a wide range of geographical distinctions yielding diverse landscapes ranging from river plains, gently sloping hillsides, mountain foothills to sandy heaths each with their own unique microclimates producing a total of 300 grape varieties, 120 of which are native to the area.
Throughout much of Europe, the wine trade had its origins in 1189 when Santiago de Compostela was consecrated as a holy town by Pope Alexander III, encouraging waves of pilgrims over the ensui
The act of drinking wines is to literally taste specific locations across the globe. I never cease to be amazed by how wines provide such an in depth lens into a particular country and culture. By far the best way to experience them is to of course travel where they're produced and visit the vineyards in person. But lack of time and/or money sometimes make this impossible. For those times, plan for some armchair traveling by tasting some reasonably priced and increasingly available local varieta
Downtown Eugene, Oregon is decidedly more laid back and outdoorsy than much larger and more renowned Portland to the north. The University of Oregon's extensive in-town footprint and streets packed with local non-chain shopping make it a pedestrian haven. Strolling here especially on weekends during the warmer months envelops you in the city's music scene like a sax player belting out tunes under a cavernous overpass enhancing the acoustics and gritty blues guitarists busking on street corners.
A UNESCO World Heritage Site as well as France's third largest wine-producing region, The Loire Valley's Touraine appellation is defined by rivers, castles, châteaux, and vineyards as far as the eye can see. No wonder it was the preferred residence of French royalty for centuries. The Touraine also has a uniquely ideal terroir making it France's leading region for white wines and second for sparkling and rose. Vineyards are concentrated around the city of Tours bordering the Loire River, stretc
The Valpolicella in Italy's Verona province is renowned for ancient palaces, fabled villas, architectural jewels like the Stelle Hypogeum Church, and Valpolicella wines that inspired Ernest Hemingway to write Across the River and Into the Trees. Preserving the region's longstanding collaborative wine making traditions, Consorzio Tutela Vini Valpolicella (Valpolicella Wine Board) was founded in 1924 and now brings together over 80% percent of the grape growers, winemakers, and bottlers that pro
A vast valley protected between two mountain ranges, northern Spain's La Rioja features terrain, wind conditions, and soil that differs from one village to the next. The River Ebro flows through it all from west to east flanked by the Cantabria Mountains to the north and the La Demanda Range to the south.
Vivanco Family Vineyards, a fourth-generation estate established 100 years ago by great grandfather Pedro Vivanco González, remains a small operation in La Rioja's Alberite. It wasn't until th
A small city at the lower end of northern California, Paso Robles dates back to the Spanish mission era of the 18th century, and wine making may have here as early as 1797, but it wasn’t until six wineries were established throughout the 1940s that the region began developing a reputation for premium California wine.
Fast forward to today where some reds, particularly Cabernet Sauvignon, "out Bordeaux" France's Bordeaux and rival certain internationally recognized wine regions north of San Fra
Furmint is Hungary’s answer to other less mainstream white wines gaining prominence lately, such as Austria’s Grüner Veltliner. Most widely grown in the Tokaj-Hegyalja Wine Region, this white grape variety's name is derived from the word froment (wheat-gold color). Although traditionally used in dessert wines, Furmint is figuring more prominently in a growing array of single-varietal dries.
A great standard bearer of this trend is Patricius Winery, run by Dezso Kékessy and daughter Katinka Kékess
Argentina's rich winemaking heritage dates back to the early 16th century, putting it in an entirely different league than neighboring new world producers Chile and Brazil. Spanish settlers planted the first specimens of vitis vinifera in monastic vineyards throughout Argentina's central, western, and northeastern regions.
Soon an extensive agricultural irrigation system of ditches and canals modeled after those of the Incas drew water from melting Andes snow caps into reservoirs, utilized to th
The word Chablis is said to derive from two Celtic words: cab (house) and leya (near the wood). The village and surrounding wine region of Chablis is situated near Champagne, France in Bourgogne's northern extremity between Paris and Beaune. Over 13,300 acres packed with vineyards comprising four appellations flourish in gray marl and bands of limestone rich in exogyra virgula (small, comma-shaped oyster) fossils dating back 150 million years. The soil combined with a semi-continental climate fa
All within reach by an hour train ride west of Frankfurt along the Rhine River, Germany's Rheingau is a patchwork of historic villages, vibrant cities, and the country's most distinctive Reisling wine-growing region.
Wiesbaden
Gateway city Wiesbaden serves as cultural and transportation hub to the Rheingau. Even if you're exploring by foot, the 200-mile Rheinsteig hiking trail head begins next to the Baroque palace of Schloss Biebrich on the banks of the Rhine taking you past numerous vineyards,
