New Year, New Wines To Try
When it comes to wine, we always recommend using your favorites as a springboard to try something new. Expanding your horizons is really the best way to increase your wine knowledge and to become a real expert. With a world full of vineyards, wineries and grape varieties, it can also be difficult to know where to begin but fear not - we have put together a list of new wines to try based on 5 of the most frequently ordered grape varieties. Another tip when dining out is to tell your server or sommelier what wines you normally enjoy - say a Napa Cab - and ask for a recommendation that is similar but new to you. In this particular example we would recommend a Cabernet Sauvignon or Malbec from Argentina. Here are some other suggestions.
If you love Brand Name Champagne try Grower Champagne
While we love the big brand name Champagnes, smaller producers known as Grower Champagnes offer a huge bang for your wine-drinking buck. Grower Champagne is a type of Champagne crafted by small, independent producers who grow their own grapes and make their own Champagne as opposed to Negociant Houses who purchase contracted fruit. One way to determine if the bottle you’re looking at is a Grower Champagne is to look for the initials RM on the label (here’s a primer on what different initials mean on a Champagne label). Grower Champagnes often lack the advertising budget of the bigger houses but what they lack in name recognition they more than make up for in quality. One of our favorites on our wine list at the moment is Chartogne-Taillet Saint-Anne (approximately $65 retail). A blend of 50% Pinot Noir, 40% Chardonnay, 10% Pinot Meunier from the villages of Merfy and Saint Thierry. Rich and creamy on the palate, with tons of resonance, the Cuvée Ste.-Anne is absolutely impeccable.
If you love Sancerre try a neighboring village
Sancerre has been the ‘IT’ wine for summer these last few years but villages surrounding Sancerre also produce equally as delicious Sauvignon Blancs. Reuilly, Quincy, Menetou-Salon are wine districts to the west of Sancerre producing wines of a very similar style to Sancerre but often at a fraction of the price. One of our most popular Sancerre alternatives is the Dyckerhoff Reuilly. Sourced from older vines grown on a greater percentage of limestone. This is a worthy alternative to Sancerre and only 15% of Reuilly wines are ever exported so it’s even more exclusive.
If you love Chardonnay try White Rhones
If you’re go-to is a mouth-filling Chardonnay give white Rhone varietals a try. While grapes like Viognier, Marsanne and Rousanne won’t have that same buttery richness as a Chardonnay, you’ll still get a white wine with plenty of weight on the palate. We recently added the Mallea white Grenache to our by the glass list and it’s been an easy transition for customers looking for an alternative to a French-style Chardonnay.
If you love Pinot Noir try another Low Tannin Reds
There’s nothing quite like a delicate Pinot Noir and while its characteristic perfumed nose is hard to replicate, you can style find similarly weighted wines that offer a lighter drinking experience. Try Gamay, Barbera, Grenache, Etna Rosso and even a lighter Nebbiolo from the Valtellina region of Italy. A staff favorite for guests looking for an alternative to Pinot Noir is Mencia from Spain. Mencia is a red wine grape grown primarily in northwestern Spain, particularly in the Bierzo region. It produces lighter-bodied wines with notes of red cherries and cranberries. Low tannins with a lip-smacking acid. It’s particularly delicious when served with a slight chill.
If you love Cotes du Rhone try GSM’s from Australia
Cotes du Rhone wines are a staple house pour for many wine lovers but France isn’t the only Rhone game in town. Rhone-style wines from Australia are colloquially known as GSM (Grenache, Shiraz and Mourvedre) and are made from the grapes originating from the Rhone but with a distinctive Australian flair. We find the latter to be more robust and bold with rich, mouth-filling fruit. The warm climate of regions like Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale allows for ripe fruit development, resulting in full-bodied reds that showcase both the intensity of the Australian terroir and the finesse of Rhone winemaking traditions. We’re currently featuring John Duval’s Plexus Rhone Blend from the Barossa along with JL Chave’s Cotes du Rhone by the glass. This gives you an interesting opportunity to try them side-by-side.