Petit Meslier is a rare white grape believed to be from northeastern France. It is a cross between Gouais Blanc and Savagnin that occurred naturally. It is also one of the seven approved grape varieties for the production of Champagne. Petit Meslier used to be far more widely planted than it is today. It fellContinue reading “July 2nd-Petit Meslier”
Author Archives: Theloosetannin
June 25th-Divico
Divico is a hybrid red grape created from two lesser known grape varieties. It was developed in Switzerland in 1997 as a PIWI grape with the goal of creating a red grape having a high level of resistance to fungal diseases, such as powdery mildew and gray rot, capable of making high quality red wines.Continue reading “June 25th-Divico”
June 18th-Schönberger
Schönberger is another German cross that has become more popular in England. The cross was created in 1939 using Pinot Noir and Pirovano (a cross of Chessalas and Muscat of Hamburg). Just like with Ortega and Bacchus, Schönberger was mostly planted in the Rheinhessen region of Germany. In England, where it is more widely planted,Continue reading “June 18th-Schönberger”
June 11th-Ortega
Ortega is a cross between white grapes Müller-Thurgau and Siegerrebe that was created in Germany in 1948. It ripens very early so it is an ideal grape to grow in cooler climates that struggle to ripen other grape varieties on a consistent basis. It does bud early, which can put it at risk of damageContinue reading “June 11th-Ortega”
June 4th-Bacchus
Bacchus, in addition to being the Roman god of wine, is also white grape that was developed in Germany in the 1930s by crossing a Sylvaner/Riesling cross with Müller Thurgau. Bacchus ripens earlier than Riesling and has lower requirements for sunlight. Bacchus has become very popular in England because it can ripen consistently and produceContinue reading “June 4th-Bacchus”
May 28th-Trincadeira
Trincadeira is a dark red grape indigenous to Portugal. It is widely grown in Portugal and goes by a variety of names around the country. It is known for the high quality wines it can produce. The grape isn’t the easiest grape to grow because it is susceptible to fungus but the work in theContinue reading “May 28th-Trincadeira”
May 21st-Siria and Rabo de Ovelha
Siria is a white grape from Spain that goes by many names in Portugal, but is known as Roupeiro in the Alentejo DOC. Rabo de Ovelha is also a white grape that likely originated in the Alentejo region. Siria is aromatic with floral aromas, as well as citrus and stone fruit. It is the fifthContinue reading “May 21st-Siria and Rabo de Ovelha”
May 14th-Encruzado
Encruzado is a rare white grape variety that is mainly grown in, and likely indigenous to, the Dão region of central Portugal. It is easy to grow and ripen but can lose its fresh, delicate character if the juice gets exposed to oxygen once the grapes are harvested until the wine is bottled. If oxidationContinue reading “May 14th-Encruzado”
May 7th-Rkatsiteli
Rkatsiteli is a native ancient white grape to the Republic of Georgia. Georgia has a long history of winemaking, dating back to at least 8000 years. Winemaking tools have been located that indicate large scale production was taking place thousands of years ago. Georgia is also known for its use of qvevri. These are clayContinue reading “May 7th-Rkatsiteli”
April 30th-Central Anatolia
Central Anatolia is a region in central Turkey. The largest city in the region is Ankara. The most common white grape is Emir and the most common reds are Kalecik Karasi and Papazkarasi. Emir can be used for both still and sparkling wines, both as varietal wines or in blends with Narince and/or Sultana. EmirContinue reading “April 30th-Central Anatolia”
A Trip Around the World of Wine in 52 Weeks 