Grüner Veltliner (GROO-ner VELT-lee-ner)

The new name in Wine Town is Grüner Veltliner. Grüner Veltliner is the name of the premier winemaker of Austria. Born in 1693 he has become.....Actually, Grüner Veltliner is the name of the newest wine (made from the grape of the same name) to hit the New Wines Hot List. Cultivated since Roman times in Austria, it is the indigenous variety of that country. Originally it was a high production grape that was a simple, easy drinking wine that you would find in all the Austrian wine pubs. Recently, Austria’s winemakers have discovered that, with lower yields and higher ripeness, Grüner Veltliner can produce stunningly intense and concentrated wines with aromas and flavors of grapefruit, summer fruits and white pepper. Because of our search for white wine other than Chardonnay and the new interest in Riesling especially in this area, Grüner Veltliner is beginning to find a home in America. Check them out. Ask your local wine "Guru" for a recommendation.

Rkatsiteli (R-cats-i-tell-ee)

Most people are surprised to learn that the third most planted grape in terms of hectares (2.471 acres) is the vinifera, Rkatsiteli. The grape originated in the Caucasus Mountains at the foot of Mt. Ararat near the borders of Armenia and Turkey. It is very popular in Georgia, Azberbaijan, Moldavia, Ukraine, Bulgaria and Rumania. The grape is slowly making inroads in the United States. It has been planted for years at Dr. Konstantin Frank’s Vinifera Wine Cellars in Hammondsport, NY. The winery’s founder, Dr. Konstantin Frank, earned a PhD degree in viticulture at the University of Odessa in the Ukraine. After immigrating to the United States and settling in New York's Finger Lakes region, Dr. Frank's fundamental goal was to introduce the world's best Vitis Vinifera varieties to this region. Rkatsiteli was at the top of this list, based on his experience with the varietal in his native Ukraine.

Today, McGregor Vineyards on Keuka Lake is also making wine from Rkatsiteli and it has been sighted in New Jersey and Virginia.

Rkatsiteli is high in acidity with pleasant floral and spicy characteristics, similar to a Gewurztraminer or Johannisberg Riesling. It can be vinified into several different types of wines: from dry to very sweet, to sparkling wines, and even to Sherry-like wines. Rkatsiteli, at its best, tastes like a cross between a dry riesling and a spicy gewurztraminer.

Limberger/Lemberger

This dark colored grape is known by many names: Limberger in Germany, Blaufränkisch in Austria, Franconia in Friuli, Italy and Kekfrankos in Hungary and Lemberger in the United States (wouldn’t want you to confuse the wine with the cheese). It is compared by many to Gamay and Merlot. The wine can range from light and fruity to being rich in fruit extract and tannin.

The wines can be reminiscent of blackberries, sweet or sour cherries, plums, currants, gooseberries, elderberries, bananas and chocolate, as well as vegetal aromas, such as green beans or green bell peppers. The style and taste is based upon the growing season (ripeness) and the techniques of the winemakers. Because of their acid, extract and tannins, the dryer versions of Lemberger have good aging potential.

Ravat

In the late nineteenth century, J. F. Ravat, a French Hybridizer, created numerous successful hybrids. The best known of these is Ravat 51 (or Vignoles), a white-wine grape. ßBotrytis Cinerea (the Noble Rot) sometimes forms on the highly acidic Vignoles grapes, which subsequently produce a rich, honeyed wine. Vignoles grapes are also made into dry and semisweet wines.

Seyval Blanc

Seyval Blanc is a French-American hybrid that ripens usually mid to late September and makes crisp white wines with no foxy (grapey) flavors. The off-dry versions balance the natural tartness of the grape with residual sugar. Seyval is the second most planted vine in England behind Müller-Thurgau. Sadly, Seyval Blanc (like all other hybrid varieties) was outlawed for “quality wine” designation by vinifera-obsessed European Union authorities, ostensibly, for quality reasons.

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