YEAR OF With fascinating wines coming from the unlikeliest of places, 2015 has DISCOVERYbecome the Year of Discovery in wine, with retailers in the vital position as gatekeepers between curious drinkers and bold new regions and grapes BY CHRISTY CANTERBURY MW / KRISTEN BIELER / W. R. TISH Chateau Kamnik funny thing happened on the way to 2016: Buoyed by two decades of steady growth in wine consumption, Americans are—finally(?)—getting it. After decades of wine suppliers, merchants and critics alike exhorting people to “drink what you like,” people are doing just that. AConsider some of the most dynamic wine-category upswings of late—Moscato, Malbec, Prosecco and Red Blends. What they have in common is simple, pure and powerful: they are being driven by consumers’ tastes. Not by critics’ ratings. Sure, Cab and Chard are still ringing up sales, but so many other grapes and regions have entered Americans’ comfort zone. In Italy, think Sicily, Alto Adige and Campania. In France, the Loire, the MACEDONIA Rhône and the South of France are stirring more emotions than Macedonia, a country the size of Alabama, has made wine for Bordeaux. In Spain, Garnacha has jumped in recognition. Wines over 400 years, but its sprint to modern-day fame began just from New Zealand, Greece, Austria, South Africa and Portugal 15 years ago. are on the tips of wine drinkers’ tongues. In California, blends and The winery Bovin, established in 1998—seven years after the offbeat varietals are what have drinkers buzzing, as well as regions country’s split with Yugoslavia—changed the paradigm. Bovin outside Napa and Sonoma; and Washington, Oregon and New pushed high quality to the bleeding edge and then charged six York’s wine industries continue to hum. times more than average for its Nailing wine trends to a specific year can be tricky, but we wines. Almost astonishingly, believe 2015 is a watershed year for American wine culture: wine lovers paid up. Encouraged Consumers’ curiosity, interest and open-mindedness on one hand by the prospects of the quality- are converging with wine’s incredibly vibrant and creative supply profit combo, more wineries side on the other. The result is that 2015 is revealing itself as the started appearing. Today, there Year of Discovery. are about 60. Interestingly, wine export has always been a focus Making The Connection for Macedonia; 85% to 95% of America’s embrace of wine has never been more adventurous. production is exported. That’s And in turn, the Retailer has never been more vital. Wine quite a bit of juice, considering merchants select and present wines from the fast-morphing global Macedonia is the world’s market, communicating the relative style, value and merit of all 25th largest producer, making those new grapes, places and brands. Simply put, they connect approximately half the wine as that ever-expanding universe to those increasingly open-minded New Zealand does. wine drinkers. Indigenous varieties are where it’s at. The black grapes Vranec To mark this Year of Discovery, this article aims to capture and Krastosija and the white grapes Smederevka, Zilavka and how and why some of today’s most exciting wines are emerging Temjanika are the highlights. Leading the pack is Vranec, whose from the least expected places—from Central and Eastern Europe name means “Black Stallion.” It makes seriously dark wines with to pockets in the Mediterranean and the Middle East, even from mouth-watering acidity and structuring tannins that help it age established regions where new techniques are in play. well. Krastosija, kin to Zinfandel and Primitivo, is jet Eager to expose their wines to a wider audience to carve out black with gobs of viscosity. Both grapes can easily attain a niche in the global wine market, these producers have teamed 15-17% alcohol, but they have other structural elements up with a growing tier of inspired, specialty importers. While to keep their wines in balance. Similarly, the dominant distribution is limited, and many of these wines may always reside white, Smederevka, can be heady, too, though it’s often in the realm of “esoterica,” they are important puzzle pieces for a not noticed given the wine’s racy acidity. The citrusy comprehensive understanding of our global wine tradition. They Zilavka (Furmint in Hungary) and floral Temjanika are ideal for adding fresh appeal and differentiation to a wine exude charm in any of their variations, from crisply program, and in many cases represent unparalleled value. These dry to lightly sweet. wines won’t be appearing on supermarket shelves any time soon— all the more reason that independent merchants should seek them IMPORTANT PRODUCERS: Bovin, Chateau Kamnik, Stobi, out now, ahead of the curve. Popov, Tikves and Vinar OPPOSITE: CHATEAU KAMNIK CELLARS COURTESY OF CHATEAU KAMNIK WINERY / GLASSES COURTESY OF BIVB / IBANEZ A. / BOTTOM IMAGE COURTESY BIVB / MONNIER H. / THIS PAGE: EXTERIOR COURTESY OF CHATEAU KAMNIK WINERY KAMNIK WINERY / GLASSES EXTERIOR COURTESY OF CHATEAU KAMNIK COURTESY OF BIVB / IBANEZ A. / BOTTOM CELLARS COURTESY OF CHATEAU IMAGE COURTESY BIVB / MONNIER H. THIS PAGE: KAMNIK OPPOSITE: CHATEAU Chateau Kefraya YEAR OF DISCOVERY CORSICA previously (and usually large but equally Corsica is surely better known as quality-driven) wineries to create a unique Napoleon’s birthplace and for “Europe’s wine culture reinforced by oenotourism, Hardest Hiking Trail”, the GR 20, than winery hotels and fine restaurants. In the for wine. spirit of Ataturk, Turkey’s founder who However, this staunchly proud decreed the re-establishment of wine pro- Mediterranean island that makes duction post-Ottoman Empire, these win- but 1% of France’s production boasts eries persist in their work. Yet, today they 264 producers and 104 independent are turning more and more to markets wineries. Quality has been on the rise abroad given the touchy attitude toward for years, and with that the trend to look wine at home. Turkey hosts over 1,200 indigenous outside the island’s built-in market of Still, the generously warm Mediter- grapes; 50% are genetically unique. thirsty tourists has grown. It’s not just ranean climate sometimes seems to mask While only about 20 account for 95% of the terrain (rugged granite, limestone true greatness, even if the wines are deli- wine produced today, several producers and schist slopes) but also the climate cious and distinctive. What is incredibly are striving to change that. Narince is that creates such fine-tuned wines. impressive is that this quality-focused in- the luminary white. It is highly versatile, The mountain slopes are cold at night, dustry has developed in such a testy sliver capable of producing all sorts of spar- drastically contrasting the summer sun, of the world. In fact, part of the Musar kling, still and sweet wines with finesse, and the Mediterranean winds can be story is about harvesting grapes surround- depth of flavor and – in some cases – age- cooling, too, as long as they don’t shoot ed by shelling and gunfire. ability. Three black grapes dominate the north from Africa. Local grapes are more likely to star red category. Kalecik Karasi is a pale-ish, Corsica stands by its local grapes, espe- on the plate in warak enab bil zeit (stuffed lighter red that masquerades between Pi- cially for the mid- to high-end wines; 55% grape leaves) than in the glass. However, not Noir, Gamay and Syrah depending of the island’s production is rosé and 30% a few determined wineries are making a go on how it is made. The grape Öküzgözü is red. The red Nielluccio, whose DNA with two local white varieties, Obeideh translates into “big black eye of the bull” resembles Sangiovese, is one of the most and Merweh, which are usually destined because it is unusually large for a wine- popular. Another top black grape is Scia- for Arak production. Reds dominate making grape. It offers baking spices, carello, meaning “irresistible.” Vermen- production and most are blends. Typical dark color and relatively supple tannins, tino, also known as Malvoisie de Corse, components include Cabernet Sauvi- so its wines are easy to appreciate. Fi- makes aromatically compelling whites. gnon, Merlot, Grenache and Syrah, often nally, there is Bogazkere, named Southern French varieties like Grenache, blended à la Bordeaux meets Rhône. Cin- “throat scratcher” for its dense, Syrah and Carignan feature prominently, sault accounts for one-third of all even fierce, tannins. Concen- too. One particularly pleasant char- production and has been grown trated in black fruit flavors and acteristic of Corsican wines is that there for over 150 years. In con- highly structured, it can age the producers let the wine shine trast, whites tend to be varietal, gracefully as well. through, never the new oak. and Chardonnay and Sauvi- gnon Blanc lead the pack. IMPORTANT PRODUCERS: Clos IMPORTANT PRODUCERS: Venturi, Domaine Comte Abbatucci, Vinkara, Suvla, Urla, Kavaklidere, IMPORTANT PRODUCERS: Château Corvus, Sevilen, Likya, Domaine d’Alzipratu, Etienne Musar, Domaine St. Thomas, Suzzoni, Domaine de Torraccia, Pamukkale, Doluca, Yazgan, Château Ksara, Domaine Wardy, Kayra, Selendi Domaine Saparale, Yves Leccia, Château Kefraya, Domaine des CHRISTY CANTERBURY MW SUVLA WINE STORE PHOTO BY Domaine de Vaccelli, U Stiliccionu, Tourelles, Massaya, IXSIR, Clos Nicrosi Château Ka Suvla Wine Store LEBANON TURKEY Brought to the world stage by the Turkey is entering a modern golden age charismatic, late Serge Hochar of of winemaking, despite its government’s Chateau Musar, Lebanese wine has relatively new but viscious anti-alcohol developed rapidly since the end of the 15- campaigns. year civil war in 1990, burgeoning from Since the beginning of this century, a only five wineries then to over 40 today— number of small producers have diversi- all making very good wines.