Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Wines to Discover this Year

Red white and sparkling

Another year has begun and hopefully we are all up for new wine exploration.  There is  a vast number of wine regions at our disposal, so I say out with the familiar and in with something new and different.  Here are a few regions that produce some very interesting wines for you to try this year:

Germany:  yes, Germany is famous for their sweet wines made from the Riesling grape.  But did you know they make red wines from the Pinot Noir grape?  German Pinot Noir wines have a subtle strawberry-dark berry flavor with an herbal undertone and is light in tannin.  This wine is perfect as an everyday red.

Languedoc-Roussillon: many great reds come from this area, made with varieties; Grenache, Syrah, Carignan, Mourvedre and Cinsault.   But this region also makes great sparkling wine in the same manner as Champagne;  Blanquette de Limoux.  Blanquette de Limoux is a white sparkling wine made with three grapes;  Mauzac, Chenin Blanc and Chardonnay.  It’s an off dry sparkler with an aroma and flavor of cut grass and subtle apple.  It’s a sparkler to be enjoyed alone or with your everyday seafood dish.

New York Finger Lakes AVA:  climatically compared with Germany, this region produces some of the best Riesling based wines in the USA.  Vibrant floral aromas together with succulent citrus flavors make these wines best drunk anytime, anywhere with anything.

Happy New Year!

enjoy