Adding Some Variety to Your Wine Nights this Spring

By andy hale, csw

Many people only drink one wine. I'm always shocked when someone only buys their one trusty brand of wine. Don't get me wrong, I have my favorite wines I like to get again and again, but getting the same one every time seems like having the same bologna sandwich for lunch every day. Even if you LOVE bologna sandwiches, doesn't eating the same thing get boring after a while? There is such an amazing world of wine for us to try. There are around two thousand individual varietals of wine grapes growing in Italy alone! It seems such a shame to drink nothing but Pinot Grigio every day, especially when there are so many fun alternatives.

Now I'm not going to push you out of your comfort zone entirely. I'm just going to give you a little nudge by suggesting some alternatives to some of the wines that you might be getting a little tired of.  

Sauvignon Blanc-

If the citrusy flavors of Sauvignon Blanc are your jam, then you are in luck! There are lots of fun varietals that will still scratch that itch, but might give you a little more variety.

Dry Riesling is a great place to start! Riesling is naturally very tart and citrusy, but instead of the grapefruit and grassy flavors of Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling shows more orange blossom and lime, with a little slate and a flavor that reminds me of smelling a beach ball. I know, that sounds weird, but see if you don't smell it the next time you pop open a bottle of Riesling.

Gruner Veltliner is another great option. This favorite of Sommeliers is the national grape of Austria, and in addition to being crisp and tart, it has a slightly richer texture than Sauvignon Blanc, and shows flavors of lemon, white pepper and maybe even a hint of arugula. Despite its name, it is as dry as the Austrian sense of humor.

This one is going to be a little harder to track down, but if you can find any of the whites from Savoie you will be very happy! Savoie is in Eastern France, up in the Alps near the Swiss border. It is crisp, dry and tastes as clean as melted snow. Apparently, Savoie wines are best enjoyed in a French ski chalet with some fondue, but I think they work well as a Sauvignon Blanc alternative as well.

Pinot Noir-

Ever since Paul Giamatti introduced us to the wonders of Pinot Noir in the movie Sideways, Americans have been in love with its light body, silky texture and flavors of raspberry, fig and that slight smoky, truffle flavor. But all that demand for this finicky grape has caused its price to increase and its quality to decline. Fortunately, there are other grapes that can fit the bill.

Pinot Noir comes from the Burgundy region of France. Fortunately for us there is another red grape from Burgundy, the grape of Beaujolais: Gamay. This misunderstood grape is a slight bit lighter than its more famous cousin, and leans a bit more fruit-forward. Gamay tastes like tart cherry juice and happiness, and absolutely nothing like the watery, bubble-gum tasting Nouveau you sometimes get at Thanksgiving.

Zweigelt is another distant relative to Pinot Noir, hailing from Austria. This juicy varietal makes light bodied reds with tangy cranberry flavors and loads of black pepper. Some of my favorite examples of Zweigelt come in Liter bottles, which is great if you are splitting it with someone.

Here is another difficult mission for you: see if you can track down a pure Cinsault. You've probably had a bit of Cinsault before. It's a permitted blending grape in the Rhone Valley and it's a favorite in France for making light bodied dry roses. Only recently has it been allowed to stand on its own. This grape is like a Mediterranean cousin to Pinot Noir – more fruit forward and a teensy bit more full-bodied, with flavors of pomegranate and red cherry. My favorites come from the South of France, but there are some excellent examples from South Africa as well.

Cabernet Sauvignon-

For those of you who crave the inky-black color and heavy, chewy weight of Cabernet Sauvignon, nothing will ever be able to take this noble grape's spot. But as its popularity has grown, so has its price. Fortunately, there are some other options to try.

Merlot has been a bad word with wine snobs ever since Sideways, but what happens when a grape's popularity goes down? It gets cheaper and better made. Merlot is the half-sister to Cabernet, and they are very similar in flavor. Merlot is a bit softer and more approachable than the astringent and stoic Cabernet, but they both have similar tasting notes; black cherry, plum, chocolate and spice. Try the Merlots from Washington State. They are super dark and peppery and really drink like less tannic Cabs.

Malbec is still a very price-worthy alternative to Cabernet Sauvignon, although not quite as heavy and structured. While Malbecs are certainly not as affordable as they used to be, you can still get a good bottle for under $20, a difficult thing to do when you are shopping in the Cabernet Sauvignon aisle.

My favorite alternative to Cabernet is from the old world. The wines from Ribera del Duero are dark, tannic and powerful, with a little more elegance than Cabernet's unrelenting fruit. These wines are grown at high altitudes in Western Spain, and are made from Tempranillo, sometimes with Cabernet and Merlot added. They are much heavier than the Tempranillos you might have had from Rioja, and I think they are an excellent alternative to Cabernet.

Don't let your wine nights get repetitive and stale. Add some variety and you might find a new favorite and even save some money!

Andy Hale is a Certified Specialist of Wine and was a professional Sommelier in Charleston until he moved to Asheville. He is now the Wine Buyer and Education Director at Metro Wines.