Back in November, I finished going through the 9 Noble Grapes, as defined by the National Wine School (NWS). There are, of course, other popular varietals that would be considered “regional”, but still worth mentioning. The first two are in the top ten and widely consumed, the third should be (in my opinion) and is an excellent varietal to have on hand: Pinot Grigio, Malbec, and Tempranillo. Pinot Grigio (Pinot Gris in France), like many varietals originally came from France and is grown today primarily in the Alsace region. Of course, Italy is currently the world’s biggest producer, but other good ones (in order) come from Germany, USA (West Coast states), New Zealand, Austria, & Hungary. It is a straw yellow wine, with slight floral & nutty overtones. Pear, guava/ mango, & lemon grass (varietal fingerprint) are its main scents. It is a crisp, tart wine that is high in acid and low in body. Pinot Grigio pairs well with light, fresh flavors like gruyere, brie, goat cheese, seafood, salads, and poultry.
The next one, Malbec, is also a popular varietal, especially in Bordeaux blends. Originally from Bordeaux, France, it is today Argentina’s signature grape. Decent ones can also be had from Chile, USA (California), France and New Zealand. For everyone except the South Americans, it’s still primarily used in Bordeaux style blends. It’s a garnet to purple wine, with dark cherry, blackberry, and currant notes on the nose. It will also have a spicy overtone, with hints of leather, cigar box, and licorice. From the wood, you might get hints of vanilla, mocha, and baking spices. If you replace a Cabs graphite with spice, you would come pretty close to a Malbec. It’s a low acid, medium body, tannin, and finish wine. Not quite as long and aggressive as a Cab. It pairs well with hard cheeses, dark chocolate, and meats like steak, pork, or lamb.
The last one is Tempranillo, Spain’s signature varietal. It is essentially their answer to Cab. Sauv. Most of the time, the Spanish blend it with Garnacha, and occasionally Cab. Sauv. and/or Merlot. Other than Spain, small amounts are grown in Portugal, America, France, and Australia. It is a ruby wine, with cherry, raspberry, and blackberry fruit on the nose. It also has a herbaceous overtone, with hints of old library books. From the wood, you definitely get cedar, baking spice, and espresso notes. A Tempranillo is medium across the board for acid, body, tannin, and finish. Good ones are silky smooth, without being too aggressive. They pair best with tapas or any kind of Spanish dish, especially something with Chorizo sausage in it. Tempranillos also go well with rabbit, wild boar, and feathered game.
I guess it’s no surprise that two of the three varietals I chose to talk about are Cab. like. There are, of course, other varietals worth mentioning; but I felt compelled to add these three, as I begin to wrap thing up. Next time will be a Wine of the Month. Be sure to come back and see what I choose. Cheers!