Exploring Obscure Grapes Has Its Rewards

Break out of your comfort zone with an exotic exploration of unique grapes.

A number of years ago I decided to join the Wine Century Club. To join, you must document tasting at least 100 different grape varieties. Luckily for me, I was able to review my blog, which I’ve been publishing since 2009, and was able to generate a list of more than 150 grapes that I’d tasted. I was quite proud when my certificate (finally!) arrived.

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I’ve always had a soft spot for the underdog and that goes for many things, including sporting events and grapes. Finding and tasting a new grape is the equivalent of hacking your way through the Amazon jungle to find the ruins of an ancient civilization. OK, maybe it’s not quite the same, but it certainly is cool. We recently went exploring and discovered two fine wines sporting exotic grapes.

If it weren’t for the loss of life and property, I’d be applauding volcanic eruptions. That smoke and brimstone means more volcanic soil, causing the grapevines to struggle and produce truly sublime wine. A case in point is Italy’s Mount Etna. Mount Etna is an active volcano and it erupted last year. It is one of the world’s most active volcanos and injured 10 people and a CNN news crew in 2017.

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Mt. Etna also has some very unique grapes, including Carricante and Catarratto, which were blended in the Etna Bianco DOC Ayunta 2019 Piante/Sparse we recently tried. Carricante is the native and main grape in Etna white wines. White wines are less than 10% of the production of the Etna DOC, so this wine is a rarity. Catarratto is the most popular white wine in Sicily but traditionally plays just a supporting role in Etna white wines. The wine is golden in color and a bit lean. It has good acidity, fresh minerality on the nose, and subtle pear and chalk notes. Wine from high-altitude vines and volcanic soil is always unique and always a treat. The SRP is $32.99.

On the red side of the tasting table was Weingut Leo Hillinger 2019 Small Hill Red, from Austria’s Burgenland region. Burgenland is famed for its red wines and is in contrast to the rest of the country where white wines, particularly Gruner Veltliner, rule. St. Laurent is a highly aromatic dark-skinned grape. It is believed to have resulted from a crossing of Pinot Noir and an unknown second parent. St. Laurent also played a role in another grape we love: Zweigelt, which is a cross between St. Laurent and Blaufränkisch.

This is a velvety-smooth red wine which we could easily drink all day. It has ample blackberry flavors with juicy red cherries and just a dusting of earth. The tannins are polished. Quite a steal at $14.99.

Both wines were purchased at Great Grapes in Cary. Thanks to Arthur and Mary Barham for joining the fun.

If you’ve gotten in a rut, drinking the same old grapes, we encourage you to explore the wide and wild world of grapes.

Mount Etna Wines From Tenuta di Fessina Erupt With Flavor

Sicily is the largest island in the Mediterranean. It has a winemaking history that dates to 4000 BC and the highest active volcano in Europe.

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Italy’s island of Sicily has been home to some of the most famous ancient civilizations. Greeks established methodical grape growing practices in the 8th century BC. The Phoenicians and Romans both traded wines from the island, leading to the development and fame of Sicilian wines.

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Sicily is notable not only for its wine and beauty, but for the highest active volcano on the continent. Mount Etna soars to a height of 11,000 feet and brings unique flavors and styles to the grapes grown on its mountainsides.

We’ve been fans of mountain wines for a long time (although not back to the ancient Greeks!). Excellent drainage, wide temperature swings and brisk breezes form conditions that produce flavorful grapes. Add volcanic soil to the mix and your have unique wines capable of sending wine lovers into orbit.

We were pleased to have a chance to sample wines from Tenuta di Fessina, a winery that harnesses the power of the volcano in their wines. It is located on the northeastern side of Mount Etna and has vineyards planted to indigenous Sicilian varieties on different sides of the mountain.

Climbing Up The Mountain

Ash, smoke and dust from Mount Etna give the region its distinctive volcanic soil, with lava, basalt, tuff, and ash. Tenuta di Fessina is nestled between two ancient lava flows, creating a unique micro climate.

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Tenuta di Fessina has a wide range of wines. The entry into their wines is the Erse line. Named for the Greek goddess of dew, these Etna DOC wines include Bianco, Rosato and Rosso. The price point for these wines is $24.99.

We’ve had the Erse Bianco before and loved it. The 2017 vintage is 90% Carricante, 10% Catarratto and Minnella. For anyone needing an introduction to Etna wines, this is a good place to start. The minerality coupled with fresh acidity and a dash of herbs and salinity give it a wholly unique flavor.

The 2018 Rosato is a savory rosé with a bit more body than the ubiquitous Provence rosé. It is made with Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio and teases with a nice complexity. The 2016 Rosso mixes the red varieties of Nerello Mascalese (90%) and Nerello Cappuccio (8%) with a dash of white grapes Minnella and Carricante.

Dance On A Volcano

The 2017 A’Puddara is one of the most alluring white wines I’ve had in a long time. It is named as a reference to Ovid, the Roman poet. This is a poetic wine made with 100% Carricante. Carricante is required in all Etna DOC Bianco wines and is thought to have grown on the slopes of Mount Etna for more than 1,000 years.

On the nose there is lemon zest and herbal notes. On the palate it is a well structured wine with a creamy texture gained through aging on the lees for up to eight months. There are some soft buttery notes as well as tropical fruit. The SRP is $66 for this special white wine.

Laeneo is a ruby red wine made with 100% Nerello Cappuccio. It is named for the bacchanal gatherings in honor of Dionysus in ancient Athens. It’s very appropriate for this is a joyous affair with savory flavors of sour cherry, black pepper and plums. It’s an elegant wine that’s fermented in stainless steel. Retail is $42.

The Nerello Mascalese grapes for the 2012 Il Musmeci Rosso come from a vineyard more than 80 years old. It’s located 2,100 feet above sea level. A ridge surrounding the vineyard allows the grapes to ripen fully and slowly. The wait is certainly worth it.

This is a complex sip that leans toward finesse rather than firepower. There is an underlayer of tobacco and mint with ripe red fruit floating on top. The texture is silk and satin. It is aged 10 to 12 months in small French barrels before an additional six to eight months in large oak barrels. There is four more years of bottle aging before it is released. The Il Musmeci is an Etna Rosso DOC Riserva wine and is considered the Tenuta di Fessina “cru” wine.

Beautiful and unique wines flow from Mount Etna and Tenuta di Fessina.

Full disclosure: These wines were received as a marketing sample.