You can label the Noah’s Ark story as legend or lore depending on your beliefs, but in 2007, the world’s oldest-known winery was uncovered in Areni, a town just 60 miles from Mount Ararat. Nestled deep in a cave perched up a rocky outcrop, researchers found a 6,000-year-old grape press and fermentation vats buried in the floor. It’s thought that wine played a significant role in the era’s human sacrifices and other religious ceremonies.

Winemaking continued in the country for thousands of years until practices wilted under Soviet rule. “Georgia was tasked with wine production and we got brandy,” says Mariam Saghatelyan, owner of InVino wine bar in Yerevan. Grape varieties better suited to spirits production were introduced and still-wine production fell dormant.

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Over the last twenty years, however, producers have re-emerged, reclaiming family land and planting indigenous grapes like Tozot, Voskehat and Khatoun.

When Paul Hobbs started his Yacoubian-Hobbs project with the Yacoubian brothers in Armenia two decades ago, “the wine industry was in rough shape,” he says. “A lot of expertise was lost and Soviet-era facilities were rusted and run down.”

So he tried planting American grapes to match his California background. “I looked to classic Western varieties: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir—a total disaster,” he says. “We wanted to understand how these vines would behave in the Old World. It’s been very revealing—most of the varieties we brought ripened earlier and jumped up in sugar. They didn’t work here. Meanwhile, the indigenous varieties ripen late and never get out of control.” Now he relies on Armenian grapes—hyper-aromatic examples like Voskehat or intense reds like Areni Noir, just two of the offerings that make up Armenia’s 400 autochthonous grape varieties.

To really understand Armenian wine, these indigenous varieties are the place to start.

White Grapes

Voskehat

Known as the queen of Armenian grape varieties, Voskehat has been cultivated for over 3,000 years, most commonly in the cooler, forested province of Aragatsotn and higher altitude sites in Vayots Dzor.

Voskehat is known for its longevity and ability to withstand increasingly unpredictable climates, thanks to its thick skin and hardy vines. (It’s not uncommon to find 150-year-old plantings of Voskehat.) Because of these traits, wineries are starting to look to this grape as the future of the region amidst warming conditions.

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Voskehat is also malleable to style preferences. Depending on the growing season or winemaking treatment, the grape can be formed to bring out vegetal and key lime flavors or richer tropical notes of white flower and beeswax.

“I appreciate Voskehat because of its similarity to Chenin Blanc,” says Danya Degen, wine director at Meli in Washington, D.C. “Both grapes blend floral flavors with moderate acidity and fuller body. Like Chenin Blanc, acidity and body also make it a fabulous blending variety for sparkling wine. Armenia makes some of the best non-Champagne, non-Prosecco bubbles from Voskehat.”

Khatoun

Scott Stroemer, beverage director of Galit in Chicago, describes Khatoun (also known as Khatun, Khatouni or Khatun Kharji) as “a total acid freak.” With a yellow-green hue and near-colorless juice, Khatoun is known for its tart lemon, alpine flower and pineapple characteristics. “It’s great as a blending grape for Voskehat, which can be a bit flabby on its own,” he says.

Kangun

Kangun (or Gangun, depending on who you ask) was born during Soviet rule and specifically created for brandy production. It’s the child of three grape varieties: First, it was crossed with the Ukrainian grape Sukholimansky Bely and the Georgian grape Rkatsiteli, then that offspring was later crossed with Chardonnay. It settled well in Armenian terroir and was adopted for not just brandy, but white and sparkling wines. Expect a light straw color, ample freshness and notes of honey, wildflower and quince.

Garan Dmak

The white grape variety—found most commonly in the Ararat region—is planted widely in the clay and higher desert soils of Armenia. It’s known for its vegetal and ripe pear characteristics, though Stroemer compares it to something more French in nature. “I want this to be the Sancerre of 2024,” he says.

Red Grapes

Areni Noir

“Areni Noir, often known as Sev Areni or Sev Malahi, is considered the pearl of Armenian grape varieties,” says Bertil Jean-Chronberg, the owner and operator of Bonde Fine Wine Shop in Cambridge, Massachusetts. “It grows in the Vayots Dzor region—distinguished by a unique climate of mild winters and sunny days—at an average altitude of 3,000 to 5,900 feet. This terroir reflects the peculiar characteristics of this grape variety: In its youth, it produces wines with a pronounced acidity and a deep and intense color with delicate aromas of cherry, blackcurrant and black pepper. Aged in Armenian oak barrels, it becomes finer and more velvety and gains aromatic complexity and roundness.”

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Areni Noir is “thin-skinned with bright acid,” adds Stroemer. “When grown in Vayots Dzor, Areni Noir becomes more Burgundian in presence with a black pepper finish.”

Tigrani

While Tigrani is Armenian in origin, part of its parentage comes from Georgia, the Caucasus’s other historic wine region. The grape is a cross between Saperavi, one of Georgia’s ancient grapes, and Areni Noir.

It’s seldom seen on its own. Instead, Tigrani lends fruit and florality to more tannic red varieties. The grapes are juicy, sweet and tart with deep natural color, a subtle spice and touches of ripe pomegranate.

Haghtanak

Translating to “victory” in Armenian, Haghtanak’s deep purple berries and intense red juice have made the grape one of Armenia’s most beloved varieties. It’s often found in blends—the deep color adds oomph to lighter grapes like Tozot—though if you do find a single varietal wine, it’s deeply cherry-like, hyper tannic with additional notes of plum, cloves, coffee and vanilla. “I find it quite similar to Saperavi from Georgia,” says Stroemer. “It’s red-fleshed and super tannic.”

Kakhet

Kakhet has deep roots that date back to the 4th century, but for the last few centuries, the grape has been exclusively reserved for Port-style sweet wines. Producers are wising up to the grape’s potential: While Haghtanak and Areni are rich and tannic, Kakhet tends to be berry-forward and terroir-driven—it’s light and aromatic, with notes of blackberry, black currant, fig and black pepper. Experts at U.C. Davis reckon the grape is a relative of the French varietal Carbonneau.

Tozot

“I see a lot of potential in this grape,” says Pavel Vardanyan, who makes a Tozot at Noa Wine in Vayots Dzor, located at the tippy-top of one of the region’s rolling mountains. “You can make Tozot elegant and ageable, you can make it into a rosé, you can make it into a blanc de noir,” he explains.

While Tozot isn’t found widely (and often only in older vineyards), the red grape offers up high acidity and freshness, with vibrant, bright strawberry notes not dissimilar to something from, say, Beaujolais.

Because of its rarity, “these days, it’s often blended into a still wine, used in table wine, dessert wine or distilled into Armenian brandy,” says Jean-Chronberg. “If vinified alone, it produces wines of great freshness, which are unique and invigorating.”

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A hybrid variety born from Ugni Blanc (also known as Italian white grape variety Trebbiano) and Rayon d’Or, Vidal Blanc is an aromatic grape with strong notes of fresh florals, honey, pear, golden apple and even Welch’s white grape juice. But when it is consumed, wine drinkers might be surprised by Vidal Blanc’s vibrant fruit flavor and racy acidity with just a touch of sweetness.

“Vidal is one of those grapes where you can’t smell the sweetness, but the florality is the variety’s most memorable characteristic,” says Torrey Grant, adjunct professor of wine appreciation at Syracuse University, adding that New York’s Finger Lakes region is an ideal region for Vidal because the variety must work for its ripeness. “You have an area that can be cold, wet, prone to frost and mildew—all conditions that Vidal Blanc was created to adapt to.”

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But the Finger Lakes isn’t the only region having all the fun with Vidal Blanc. Michigan, Virginia, Ohio, Missouri and Minnesota are just a few states in the U.S. where Vidal Blanc is grown for sweet, dry and sparkling wine production.

In Canada, Vidal Blanc is treasured for the country’s famous Icewines. Since the 1970s, Inniskillin has led the way in Icewine production, embracing its unique microclimate and complex soil composition generated by glaciers that once covered the region. “The Ontario wine country is located between 41° and 44° North, a range that represents the heart of the world’s fine wine zone for regions such as Chianti Classico in Tuscany and Burgundy,” says Irene Graziotto, wine media strategist and certified Associazione Italiana Sommelier (AIS). “Back in the mid-1980s, producers were looking for a grape that could preserve freshness despite Ontario’s hot summer, and Vidal has a high natural acidity and thick skin that could allow for the production of Icewines, without breaking during the ripening season.” While Vidal Blanc can withstand temperatures as low as -28° C (-18°F), the grapes still must be harvested in a healthy condition in order to make the best Icewine.

In addition to its vibrancy and vitality, Vidal Blanc also has great value as an everyday table wine. In Maryland, Boyd Cru Wines created its Community Vidal Blanc to encourage consumers to explore beyond what they’re used to. Jon’ll Boyd, who co-owns Boyd Cru with her husband, Matthew, first encountered Vidal Blanc during an apprenticeship at Hosmer Winery in the Finger Lakes region. She recalls learning about a number of hybrid grape varieties at the time and being fascinated by their adaptability. “When Matthew and I were first considering winemaking, Vidal Blanc wasn’t on our radar, but we were considering grapes we enjoyed and this was one of them,” says Boyd. “We want to bring something different to the market that’s joyful, vibrant and approachable.”

The opportunity for Vidal Blanc to have its moment is possible, but it will be up to wine producers to communicate the beauty and diversity of the wines. “Vidal will have to find a foothold between being a fun wine and a wine that can appeal to those who appreciate [traditional] European white grape varieties,” says Grant.

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Quick Facts

• Grape: Thick-skinned, slow-ripening, aromatic white variety
• Crossing Of: Ugni Blanc and Rayon d’Or
• Aromas/Flavors: Floral perfume, honey, pear, golden apple, grape juice
• Wine Styles: Still, sparkling and a range of sweetness levels—from off-dry to luscious

This article originally appeared in the 2023 Best of Year issue of Wine Enthusiast magazine. Click here to subscribe today!

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“I decided to plant about an acre of Sauvignon Gris in 2019 after enjoying extremely high-quality wines made from it in Bordeaux and the Loire Valley,” Gustavo Gonzalez, winemaker at Napa’s Mira Winery, says of this gray mutation of Sauvignon Blanc. “It is not planted in high volumes anywhere— only about 70 tons were harvested in California the year we planted it—because it is extremely low-yielding.”

In California, where more than 100 varieties are grown, Sauvignon Gris didn’t even merit its own line item in the latest California Grape Acreage Report from California’s Department of Food and Agriculture. Instead, Gris is presumably being counted under the “other white wine” line item.

Mira, which has just over 10 acres under vine on its Yountville estate, rolled the dice on the low-yielding, relatively unknown grape because of its outstanding winemaking potential.

“The grapes are smaller than what you find with Sauvignon Blanc, and are therefore much more concentrated, with different flavor elements,” Gonzalez explains. “Sauvignon Blanc can be tart and on the citrusy or tropical side. Sauvignon Gris can be spicier and plays with your palate because it’s high in acid but feels fuller and richer than most high-acid wines. In the end, it’s more luxurious and can be transformed into something very special.”

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Last year, Gonzalez produced both a Mira Estate white blend with Sauvignon Gris and Blanc, and a 2021 Ovum Aureum, a 100% Sauvignon Gris made in the winery’s French oak egg-shaped fermenter, dubbed the Ovum—the only one of its kind in the Western Hemisphere.

“The response has been extraordinary,” Gonzalez says. “I want to plant more.”

Another vintner eager to see what can be done with Sauvignon Gris is William Allen, founder and winemaker at Two Shepherds in Windsor, California.

“I am fascinated by gray-skinned grapes,” Allen says. “Sauvignon Gris will be my third skin-contact gray wine…Wine country is sadly lacking in terms of viticultural diversity, and I am always on the hunt for new grapes to work with. We need to be pushing boundaries and exploring more possibilities, instead of relying on the same handful of grapes.”

Allen, who sourced two tons of Sauvignon Gris from the team at Mira, plans five days of skin contact, and will determine how to age it depending on “what happens during fermentation.”

Both Allen and Gonzalez tout Sauvignon Gris’ food-pairing power: “It is so rich, but also balanced and dry; it can cover a lot of bases,” Gonzalez says. “Personally, I love it with spicy South Asian and Mexican cuisine.”

Quick Facts

• Grape: Sauvignon Gris
• Mutation Of: Sauvignon Blanc
• Wine Styles: Dry, still, skin-contact
• Aromas/Flavors: High acid, with tropicality and notable spice
• Food Pairing: Spicy cuisines, especially South Asian and Mexican (Recommendations: beef pho, chicken tamales or mole poblano)

This article originally appeared in the December 2023 issue of Wine Enthusiast magazine. Click here to subscribe today!

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The post California’s “Other White” Grape Is Worth Getting to Know appeared first on Wine Enthusiast.

Except for one: a small three-quarter acre of Baco Noir found in the heart of California’s Sonoma Coast, where the cold-hardy grape is thriving in the region’s Mediterranean-like climate under the care of Matt Niess, winemaker and owner of North American Press.

“Native California plants … require less resources; they’ve thrived here without any inputs or hand-holding for millennia,” says Niess. “One day I was wondering, all the irrigation, spraying and inputs required in viticulture—what about native grapes?” It wasn’t necessarily Baco Noir specifically that Niess sought out—in fact, in his research, he found that there are several native grapes planted all over Sonoma—but a fortuitous encounter with a grower looking to sell his blocks of Baco allowed Niess to take over that farming in 2019 and “try this hybrid grape thing.”

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His vineyard is located in the Green Valley AVA, where the passthrough of the Russian River, dense weeds and high levels of fog and dew mean high disease pressure throughout the growing season. But after farming the Baco Noir for just six months, Niess realized, “I literally don’t have to spray these vines.” They are that disease resistant. “With all the talk about regenerative viticulture—why are hybrids not at the table?” he asks. “They should at least be a part of the conversation.”

Another bonus: The shorter growing period of Baco means it’s ready to harvest ahead of what’s become known as California’s “fire season.” “I’m picking grapes at end of September, fairly consistently,” comments Niess.

But Baco is not without its challenges in the vineyard. It’s quite vigorous, meaning Niess spends more time suckering these vines than he has any other he’s worked with. Long shoot growth that naturally “flops over” means a traditional vertical shoot position (VSP) trellising system isn’t the most viable option, and Niess is currently in the process of transitioning to a four-arm Kniffin system, which he finds helps tame this vigorous hybrid.

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In the cellar, Niess prefers a hands-off, low-intervention approach. One area he does have to monitor is the grape’s tendency to ferment hot and fast. “I do small-lot ferment so there’s not a thermal mass that will overheat. If it gets too warm, I’ll do a punch down to dissipate heat and break up the cap.” He also plays with different fermentation styles, including carbonic, various percentages of whole cluster and completely destemmed, ultimately blending batches for a balanced resulting wine.

In terms of tasting, Niess’s Baco is similar to Zinfandel, with intense, ripe brambly fruits—but sans any raisin or prune notes and with a notable elevated acidity, keeping the full-bodied red light on its feet. “And Baco is an excellent California barbeque wine,” adds Niess, “with its high acidity to cut through rich, fatty meats, an inherent smokiness and a really intense iron-like sanguine quality on the finish.”

Quick Facts

• Grape: Thin-skinned, early-ripening red variety
• Cross Of: Folle Blanche and an unknown indigenous North American Vitis riparia variety
• Wine Styles: Still, single-varietal and blends; both reds and rosés produced
• Aromas/Flavors: Blackberry, blueberry, boysenberry, smoke and a meaty umami
• Food Pairing: Grilled or barbequed meat dishes

This article originally appeared in the November 2023 issue of Wine Enthusiast magazine. Click here to subscribe today!

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The tricky part, as ever with Italian wine, is getting a handle on the vast landscape of possibilities, given the incredible diversity of white grapes and regional representations. Getting to know the top grapes takes a little time, but anyone willing to dive in can be sure they’ll be paid back in dividends. That’s because coming vintages of Italian whites are poised to be tremendous deals, with expressions that range from fresh, fun and eminently drinkable to serious, structured and ageable.

Where should an Italian white grape journey begin? The below varietals represent major players that are either widely planted across Italy or are huge stars in their region. While they’re all decidedly unique, what ties them together is their ability to capture the specific characteristics of the place they’re grown, the long history of their presence there and the people who shape them into wine.

Arneis (Piedmont)

If Italy is known for its reds more generally, Piedmont—home of the king and queen of Italian wine, Barolo and Barbaresco—is the ultimate example of a region you would never think of for white wine. Enter Arneis, a grape that produces an ethereal glass of white, laying jasmine and honeysuckle over white peaches and pears before a nutty, umami finish.

One to try:

Glera (Veneto & Friuli)

Have you gotten on the Negroni Sbagliato train and gotten in the habit of adding Prosecco to your drinks? Then Glera is already on your radar, even if you didn’t realize it. This grape is the backbone for Italy’s crowd-pleasing sparkling white, which can have high acidity that balances a healthy amount of residual sugar. Look out for a Prosecco col fondo to see Glera in its finest form.

One to try:

Fiano (Campania)

Sometimes hailed as the best white grape in Italy, and even considered to produce some of the best white wines in the world, Fiano is unquestionably a showstopper. In addition to tremendous age-ability, its ability to express flavors is uncanny—they can range from nutty to salty to smoky even as it also offers rich, round fruit and subtle floral qualities. A sip of a great Fiano brings to mind the Italian term “spreazzatura”—to make something complex seem easy.

One to try:

Garganega (Veneto)

An ancient varietal that is likely the parent of many other white grapes on the peninsula, Garganega fell victim to the same fate that befell many Italian grapes, white or red, when in the middle of the last century the global economic expansion of the wine market incentivized quantity over quality. The last decades have been good to Garganega, mercifully, and now it’s relatively easy to find these bright but sophisticated whites, especially from the Soave Classico zone.

One to try:

Grillo (Sicily)

Because it delivers an easy-to-love combo of citrus, stone fruit and salt on the palate, there are those who think of Grillo as the Sauvignon Blanc of Sicily, but don’t let that fool you. Grillo has the chops to make concentrated, focused wines with savory, mineral depth. And as the primary grape in Marsala, it reveals seemingly endless layers of flavor and texture worth meditating over.

One to try:

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Malvasia (Everywhere)

Ok, this one’s a bit of a misdirect. Malvasia is indeed an important white grape in Italy, but it comes in so many forms and the name is used so loosely that it could refer to nearly any style or even an entire subgroup of the varietal, which has gained autochthonous characteristics (read: specific qualities associated with a hyperlocal terroir and climate). Held in esteem since at least the late Middle Ages, Malvasia has a long history that enriches but also complicates attempts to trace its origins and meanderings across Italy. Look out for Emilia-Romagna’s Malvasia di Candia, which can have flavors as unexpected as bergamot and cinnamon, or Malvasia Istriana (Friuli Venezia Giulia), with its searing acid and buoyant salinity.

One to try:

Moscato (Everywhere)

Like Malvasia, Moscato is a shapeshifter grown across the peninsula and used to make all different kinds of wines. The bad news: It’s hard to pin down. The good news, however, is that it’s almost universally delicious, whether in its ultra-popular form as an off-dry sparkler in Moscato d’Asti from the northwest, as a decadent dessert in Sicily, where it’s known as Zibibbo, or as its aromatic, easygoing self as a table wine from various regions.

One to try:

Ribolla Gialla (Friuli Venezia Giulia)

It’s striking how little traction Ribolla Gialla has gotten outside of its native region of Friuli, but exciting to imagine what’s still on the horizon for this absolutely delightful, resilient, aromatic but astringent grape. A particularly good candidate for crafting orange or skin-contact wines, Ribolla performs well after a little maceration and can even take a bit of botrytis (the Glinda of fungus aka Good Fungus), offering a sweet-savory balance that few others can achieve.

One to try:

Trebbiano (Everywhere)

At first blush, Trebbiano seems to pose the same problem as Malvasia and Moscato—that is, a grape that’s grown everywhere and could be anything. The line Trebbiano walks is slightly different, however, in that it was long perceived as a hearty, productive but not particularly nuanced grape, suited for blending or for simple juice. Not so today, when wines from great producers using Trebbiano Abruzzese (Abruzzo), Trebbiano Spoletino (Umbria) or Procanico (aka Trebbiano Toscano from Lazio) have demonstrated that Trebbiano can be the star of the show.

One to try:

Verdicchio (Lombardy, Marche, Veneto)

An absolute stunner of a grape, Verdicchio, also known as Turbiana when it turns up in Lombardy or the Veneto (as opposed to its somewhat more famous iteration from the Marche), is distinguished by its searing acid and salty minerality, laid on top of citrus, bitter almond and wild herbs. When treated with care, it can age for years, even decades, becoming greater than the sum of its parts.

One to try:

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Vermentino (Liguria, Tuscany, Sardinia)

Like squeezing a lemon on top of a plate of fritto misto while enjoying a sea breeze and the sun warming your face, Vermentino is the ultimate Italian beach party in a glass. Fresh, saline and citric, it’s gorgeous as an aperitif, and especially fun as a lightly bubbly frizzante, but still more than capable of holding its own through a full meal.

One to try:

Vernaccia (Tuscany)

A grape that has been appreciated since at least the late Middle Ages—the Tuscan poet Dante mentions it in his medieval masterpiece the Divine Comedy—Vernaccia is mostly found today in its ultra-crisp, refreshing, easy-to-love version. Though lively with notes of citrus and wild herbs, it can stand up to oak aging, revealing a savory, mature white wine that can last for years.

One to try:

The post Italy’s Best White Wines: 12 Essential Grapes to Know appeared first on Wine Enthusiast.

Genetic testing suggests that Auxerrois is a sibling of Chardonnay. Both are hybrids of Pinot Noir and Gouais Blanc, and in the Moselle region of France, Chardonnay is often called Auxerrois Blanc. Auxerrois most likely takes its name from Auxois, a town in Burgundy, although it probably developed in Lorraine.

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Still, this confusion hasn’t turned Alsace winemakers off. Because it ripens early with low acidity, Auxerrois is great for blending with those more acidic varieties, including Pinot Blanc and the region’s multi-varietal white blend, Edelzwicker. And as the climate becomes more unreliable, a grape that can be picked early without being overly tart is a good, safe bet.

In Alsace, it is also common for a wine labeled Pinot Blanc to have a high quantity of Auxerrois. This is something the Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée permits, and it’s probably for the best, given how well these two varieties work together: Pinot Blanc tends to be straightforward and high in acidity, while Auxerrois is generally low in acidity and round and juicy in flavor.

“What we love about Auxerrois is that it shows delicious notes of orchard fruits, [acidic] crispness and delicacy,” says Etienne Godard, export director for Wolfberger. “For us, a good Auxerrois is a wine that is fruity, delicate and tart.”

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It is also a favorite for sparkling wine. “Auxerrois is the identity of our Crémants d’Alsace; this is what distinguishes us from other French sparkling AOPs,” explains Godard.

While most Alsace winemakers either blend Auxerrois with Pinot Blanc or use it in crémant, a few are taking different approaches to explore the wine’s potential. Laurent Bannwarth describes its Alsace Auxerrois Qvevri as “Velvety, smooth, rich and everchanging between dry fruit, citrus rind and stony flavor notes.”

Despite some confusion around its identity, Auxerrois is a lovable workhorse.

Auxerrois to Try

Wolfberger NV Brut Auxerrois (Crémant d’Alsace)

Notions of apple, yeast and lemon still come with a little reduction on this wine’s nose. Citrus freshness, an almost creamy mousse and a touch of white pepper make this very nimble and easy to like. The light body has depth and a frothy, dry and lemony finish. 89 Points  — Anne Krebiehl MW

$ Varies Wine-Searcher

Bel Lago 2019 Brut Auxerrois Auxerrois (Leelanau Peninsula)

Mandarin and Meyer lemon aromas meet white blossom and honey on the nose. The palate balances ripe fruit with a hint of savory tones, combining Bartlett pear and baked apple with notes of pie crust, biscotti and lemon juice. Cloud-like bubbles and bouncy acidity persist while a touch of pithy bitter-citrus oil emerges on the finish. 90 Points  — Fiona Adams

$17 Bel Lago

Raptor Ridge 2019 Zenith Vineyard Auxerrois (Eola-Amity Hills)

What a lovely, straightforward white wine that aims to please. Its aromas center around a beeswax and lemon oil combination that will take you straight to church. There’s also this lightly sweet note in the background that is similar to carrot cake. Nice acidity here, with tangy lemon-verbena and toasty filbert flavors. 90 Points  — Michael Alberty

$ Varies Wine-Searcher

This article originally appeared in the October 2023 issue of Wine Enthusiast magazine. Click here to subscribe today!

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Thankfully, grape breeders like Dr. Andrew Walker of University of California, Davis are responding to the challenge. In 2019, Dr. Walker released five new disease-resistant grapes—the first release of new grapes from Davis in decades. One in particular has California growers excited: Ambulo Blanc.

This white grape is 97% Vitis vinifera, a cross of 62.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12.5% Carignane, 12.5% Chardonnay, with the remaining percentage split between two Native North American species, Vitis arizonica and Vitis rupestris.

“Ambulo Blanc was released to nurseries first, and it’s now being planted in vineyards across California and in the southern U.S.,” Dr. Walker says.

Ambulo Blanc was bred with the goal of producing a premium wine grape that could also resist Pierce’s Disease (PD). The disease is caused by the bacterium Xylella fastidiosa, spread primarily via sharpshooters, a vector insect that thrives in warmer climates. Wine, table and raisin grapes are all susceptible.

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Tom Gamble, third-generation farmer and founder of Napa’s Gamble Family Vineyards, planted one-eighth of an acre of Ambulo Blanc in the Yountville subappellation of Napa in 2019. So far, he’s thrilled with the results.

“We planted it along a creek on the perimeter of our Sauvignon Blanc vineyard,” Gamble says. All told, Gamble has 175 acres under vine in Napa. “The sharpshooters are really active along waterways, and we found that by planting those grapes there, we gave them what they needed, and they didn’t fly into the vineyard.”

But the PD-resistant grapes are doing more than just acting as Gamble’s vineyard soldiers.

“Our vines are only three years old, but I’m loving what we’re getting from them,” Gamble says. “The small batches we’ve made have tannin and grip, with earthy and floral aromas, fresh flavors. It reminds me of Sauvignon Blanc. The texture is unique and compelling, and the acids are great. We have been vinifying Ambulo Blanc in neutral French oak every year, and at this point, we see it as interesting in a blend.”

It’s too early to tell what regions and soils Ambulo Blanc will thrive in, but according to Walker, it is growing well—and combatting PD—wherever it has been planted, including Temecula, Sonoma and Napa. Other producers, including Rutherford’s Caymus Vineyards and Oak View’s Ojai Vineyards have bottled the wines experimentally, and may release them in the future.

In the glass, Walker and Gamble agree, Ambulo Blanc delivers citrus, lime, gooseberry, Golden Delicious apples—what Gamble dubs a “worthy, food-friendly, everyday wine.”

Quick Facts

• Grape: White
• Crossing Of: Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignane and Chardonnay
• Where Grown: California and Southern U.S.
• Wine Styles: Single-varietal and blends
• Aromas/Flavors: Citrus, lime, gooseberry, Golden Delicious apples with slightly bitter texture
• Food Pairing: Spring vegetables, seafood dishes and a variety of spicy cuisine

This article originally appeared in the October 2023 issue of Wine Enthusiast magazine. Click here to subscribe today!

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Norton is neither vinifera nor a Franco-American or modern hybrid. Rather, it is its own species, aestivalis. As near as anyone can tell, says Meggitt, Norton was an accident, a cross in the wild that was first discovered on the East Coast in the 19th century and ended up in vineyards almost by mistake. Further confusing the issue: The grape is sometimes called Cynthiana. Norton was world famous in the late 19th and early 20th centuries when it won numerous awards (not coincidentally when phylloxera devastated Bordeaux). It mostly disappeared during Prohibition and didn’t start to return until the 1970s.

Norton’s sweet spot is the geographical band from central Illinois to the Texas Hill Country in one direction, and the Great Plains to the Atlantic Ocean in the other. It’s grown in a variety of states in that area but shows up most often in Virginia and Missouri. Those climates are not bitterly cold, but colder than vinifera likes, and the grape shrugs off the region’s heat and humidity. “It’s relatively bulletproof,” says Meggitt. “Even climate change doesn’t seem to have affected it much.”

The knock against hybrids is their so-called “foxy” aroma. (Consider foxy a down-market version of brett.) Modern winemaking and agricultural practices have minimized foxiness, says Meggitt, and 21st century Norton is made in a variety of styles. It’s winemaker’s choice—some blend it with vinifera; some use a more traditional approach, with minimal blending and oak aging; and some even make a lighter style for everyday drinking, aged briefly in steel tanks. Regardless, it’s a dark, full, rich wine (think dark berry fruit, cloves and coffee) that—surprisingly—isn’t especially tannic. In this, it’s not as gigantic as a 15% abv Zinfandel, but it is bigger than a red Bordeaux. Plus, there’s a bracing acidity that helps it age. Two decades isn’t uncommon, says Meggitt, who comments it “can age like Botox.” And if it still has a touch of barnyard, that’s one of the things that makes it so uniquely American.

Quick Facts

Grape: Thick-skinned red grape

Crossing Of: Unknown

Where Grown: Middle latitudes of U.S., predominantly Virginia and Missouri

Wine Styles: Dry, single-variety or blends

Aromas/Flavors: Dark berry fruit, cloves, coffee

Food Pairing: Braised short ribs.

Fun Fact: In 1883, the American Cyclopedia, a Popular Dictionary of General Knowledge, called Norton the “best medicinal wine of America.”

This article originally appeared in the May 2023 issue of Wine Enthusiast magazine. Click here to subscribe today!

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“It’s a grape we can grow from north to south,” says Jill Blume, enology specialist at Purdue University, explaining that the state, which sees all four seasons—from extremely cold winters through to hot, even humid summers—is much cooler in the north than it is in the south. Thus, finding a grape that is both winter-hardy and disease resistant is key for growers throughout Indiana to produce healthy grapes and high-quality wines.

“In the north, tmhe growing season can be as little as 150 to 160 days…and winter temperatures can reach minus 15–20°F,” explains Jeff Hill, proprietor of Rettig Hill Winery in Milan, Indiana. “The northern part of the state can fully ripen Traminette, but their harvest dates occur about 10 to 14 days after southern Indiana and the total Brix and pH are lower.” Conversely, in the southern part of the state, the growing season can exceed 200 days, and winter low temperatures are much more moderate, resulting in an overall riper fruit profile.

The range of climatic conditions down the length of the state means there’s a wide variety of Traminette wine styles produced— from sparkling to still, fully dry to off-dry, and even ice wine and botrytized sweet wines. The intense aromas and flavors of Traminette, most akin to its Gewürztraminer parent, come from the terpenes found in the grape’s thicker skins. “In cellar, we don’t press too hard or keep the juice in contact with the skins too long— it’d be too floral, too ‘grandma’s perfume,’” says Christian Huber, seventh generation grower-producer of Huber’s Orchard, Winery and Vineyards.

Buck Creek Winery’s Joseph Durm leans in on those aromatic compounds as he experiments with a 30-gallon “pilot lot” of completely skin-fermented Traminette. “We always ferment our Traminette completely dry and then back sweeten slightly to get the sweeter aromas to pop and the acidity to lose its sharp edge,” says Durm. “But I’m thinking this new skin-fermented variation might not require any back sweetening.”

Traminette is probably one of the most consumer-friendly of hybrids—there’s something for every palate. “Just be open minded,” Hill says. “There’s a whole slew of styles to choose from.”

Fast Facts on Traminette

• Type: aromatic white hybrid grape
• Crossing Of: Gewürztraminer and Joannes Seyve 23.416
• Grown In: U.S. East Coast and Midwest
• Wine Styles: still, sparkling, dry, all levels of sweetness
• Aromas/Flavors: rose petal, white pepper, lychee, apricot, honey, with a balanced elevated acidity
• Food Pairing: spicy fare (like Thai green curry), foods rich in umami (think mushroom risotto) and dry cheeses (Gruyere, Comté, Manchego)

This article originally appeared in the April 2023 issue of Wine Enthusiast magazine. Click here to subscribe today!

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“There’s this stigma that they’re all sweet,” says Elizabeth Higley, assistant winemaker at Windsor Run Cellars in North Carolina. “But I’ve had some dry, traditional method sparkling Muscadine wines, and they’re incredible. They can be just as elegant as any vinifera wine we make here.”

Vitis vinifera like Chardonnay and Pinot Noir hail from Europe and comprise the majority of wine grapes growing in the United States. Muscadine wine is Vitis rotundifolia and native to the southeastern United States, where professionals like Higley believe it’s ripe for a national renaissance.

So, what is Muscadine wine? Can it change to suit modern tastes? And do enough people want it to?

What is Muscadine Wine?

Muscadine wine can be red, white or rosé, and be either made still or sparkling. It can be vinified sweet, off-dry or dry.

There are more than 100 types of Muscadine grapes grown in the United States, although only a handful are used for winemaking. The grapes are thick-skinned, antioxidant-rich and range from green to black in hue. They thrive in heat and humidity, and they resist many vineyard diseases and pests, including phylloxera. Common Muscadine cultivars in the southeastern U.S. include Carlos, which is used primarily for white winemaking, and Scuppernong, which is eaten out of hand and named for North Carolina’s Scuppernong River.

Sometimes, American-born Muscadine is mistaken for the similarly named Mediterranean variety Muscat, but they’re not related. “Two different grapes, two different cultural heritages and origin stories,” says Robin Caldwell, a food history researcher and writer.

The History of Muscadine Wine

Muscadine is believed to have been the first native grape cultivated in North America. As proof, researchers point to the Mother Vine, a Scuppernong plant on North Carolina’s Roanoke Island. Estimated to be at least 400 years old, the Mother Vine may have been cultivated by Croatans prior to European colonists’ arrival in 1587.

“It was both a source of libation and income before America was America,” says Caldwell of Muscadine wine. “I believe Muscadine wine deserves respect.”

As colonization progressed and the United States formed, it proved profitable. According to the North Carolina Muscadine Grape Association, in 1840 the state was the top wine producer in the U.S., “with an industry built entirely on Muscadine grapes.”

Caldwell notes that Muscadine grapes were vital to enslaved laborers throughout the antebellum South. “Muscadine was foraged food. Access was easy, especially for enslaved Africans with the ability to enter into the woods or who lived near the woods with vines. It was used for medicinal purposes, food and wine.”

Following emancipation and through the 20th century, Muscadine grapes and wine remained economically and culturally significant.

The fruit was foraged and cultivated, and “provided a decent stream of income for Black American farmers in states like North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, Virginia and Florida,” says Caldwell.

Modern Muscadine

Local, sustainable and with a powerful story, Muscadine wine checks a lot of boxes for modern consumers. The challenge, wine professionals say, is getting more people to try it.

“I haven’t tasted it in years, but I remember it being very sweet,” says Charles W. Hunter III, a personal chef and recipe developer in Nashville, TN, who celebrates the arrival of the sweet fruit each season. He’s interested to taste drier expressions of Muscadine wine, however. “You pop the grapes in your mouth and it’s just a rush of sweetness. It would be interesting to see what that looks like tamped back a bit in wine.”

Higley has seen Muscadine converts in tasting rooms. “We’ve noticed that if you pour a dry one for people, they change their mind pretty quickly,” she says, describing dry Muscadine wine as “low-ABV, crisp, dry, porch pounders.”

Where to find them? Overmountain Vineyards and Cypress Bend, both in North Carolina, produce dry Muscadine wines. Windsor Run Cellars is currently experimenting with carbonic maceration Muscadine. In Kathleen, GA, Tilford Winery produces an array of dry, semi-sweet and sweet Muscadines, all of which are organic.

Perhaps we’ll be seeing more of this style in the future, too. Hardy Muscadine is suited to low-intervention winemaking, especially as the climate warms.

“We grow a lot of vinifera here but it’s incredibly challenging, you have to spray a lot and manipulate to make quality wine,” she says. “Muscadine grapes are supposed to be here, they like growing here, and they’re going to be here for a very long time. It’s about time we start giving them the respect they deserve.”

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