While best-selling regions like Napa and Bordeaux produce fantastic red wines, there are many other areas that are turning out stellar, lesser-known wines. Some of them are a few hours’ drive from Napa, while others are a plane-ride away in Europe and Argentina.
Here’s a little insight about some of the hottest grapes on the vine these days that will help maximize sales once they are on your lists and shelves. Many of them also provide consistent and great values.
West Coast Gems
Drive four hours south of San Francisco and you’ll arrive in Paso Robles: a dynamic, emerging wine region close to the coast. It is known for its Cabernet Sauvignons, Zinfandels and Rhône blends. The area, just north of San Luis Obispo, and several hours north of Santa Barbara is now home to more than 200 wineries, according to Paso Robles Wine.
The area is a crosshatch of local producers, foreign investors and others who got priced out of Napa and Sonoma. Its proximity to the ocean and often hilly terroir allows the region to produce a wide range of vibrant wines that range in acidity and alcohol levels. The bulk of the producers here, with a few exceptions, tend to be small- to medium-sized but many are nationally distributed.
Entirely in the other direction, lies the coastal hamlet of Mendocino. The area is known for its elegant sparkling wines, as many French Champagne houses have local outposts here. It is also famed for its soft and ephemeral Pinot Noirs many of which are grown in areas like Alsace in France.
While Burgundy and Bordeaux get most of the attention in France, there are other regions producing some stellar wines.
On the European and South American Trail
While Burgundy and Bordeaux get most of the attention in France, there are other regions producing some stellar wines. Thanks to a mix of family producers and larger wineries many of the wines produced in the Rhône Valley can also be great bargains. The area is known for its supple and age-worthy red blends, based on Syrah, Grenache, and Mourvèdre. Côtes du Rhônes tend to be the best-known of the delicious and affordable red blends.
Northern Italy is known for its lovely sparkling wines, Proseccos and impressive and intense Barolos. Quite close to Barolo is the lesser-known growing area of Barbaresco. Wines here are made with the same Nebbiolo grape that goes into Barolos. However, these reds tend to slightly more delicate and feminine with less aging potential. They are aged for fewer years in bottle and generally cost a bit less.
Last but not least, down in Southern Hemisphere Chile is turning out some killer wines. They run the gamut from single-varietal Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Carménère to Syrahs and stunning red blends. These wines are often available in large-format bottles or bag-in-box formats, which make them great for pouring by the glass.
When grouping them on a wine list, or shelf, these great finds can be linked by geography or grape variety. They could even be organized as seasonal great finds.
