One of my greatest pleasures when it comes to wine is the exploration of new varieties of grapes and the wines they make. Which is why I'm thrilled that Tyler, who runs the blog Dr. Vino, will be hosting the 37th edition of Wine Blogging Wednesday, as he has chosen the theme of indigenous varietals.
For those of you unfamiliar with WBW, it is a virtual wine tasting, hosted by a different blog each month. On the appointed Wednesday, bloggers of every stripe from around the world all taste and review a wine according to the theme, and then the host writes up a summary of the event.
Last month's event, which I missed due to being on a business trip, centered around unoaked Chardonnay. I've been so busy that I haven't even had time to post about the roundup of all the wine reviews, which the host, Lenn, posted a couple of days ago.
This month we all get the chance to leave the "safe" grapes behind, and plunge into something different. No "international" varieties (Riesling, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Pinot Noir) will be allowed, and if it was up to me, I'd say you should skip Syrah/Shiraz, Malbec, Grenache, Pinot Gris, and Gewurztraminer, too. Instead you want to go for the Moschofileros, the Viuras, the Greco di Tufos, and the Pedro Ximinez' of the world.
Tracking down indigenous varietal wines is easy. Italy, Greece, Spain, Portugal, Hungary, and Croatia all have a large number of indigenous grape varieties, as does good 'ol France. Find a local wine store with a good international selection, and you're sure to succeed.
Then taste the wine and review it on your blog (or send Tyler your review if you don't have a blog) on Wednesday, September 12th. That's all there is to it!
Digg it! -
Add to del.icio.us -
Add to Stumbleupon -
Add to Reddit
marisa d'vari
wrote:This sounds exciting. Thanks for posting it, Alder. I've been to many tastings and seminars for Greek wines and even though they are impossible to pronounce, they are such incredible values. I will try to take part.
Vinography Unboxed: Week of March 10, 2013 Bilancia Wines, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand: Current Releases Vinography Images: Across the Valley Drinking Off the Grid Vinography Images: Behind the Gate Vinography Unboxed: Week of February 24, 2013 The Best of Napa's 2011 Cabernets: Tasting at Premiere Napa Valley Great Dirt is Not Sentimental: Ted Lemon on Terroir Vinography Images: Vineyard Bowl 11th Annual Pinot Noir Summit: March 16th, San Francisco
Masuizumi Junmai Daiginjo, Toyama Prefecture Wine.Com Gives Retailers (and Consumers) the Finger 1961 Hospices de Beaune Emile Chandesais, Burgundy Wine Over Time The Better Half of My Palate 1999 Királyudvar "Lapis" Tokaji Furmint, Hungary What's Allowed in Your Wine and Winemaking Why Community Tasting Notes Sites Will Fail Appreciating Wine in Context The Soul vs. The Market 1989 Fiorano Botte 48 Semillion,Italy