Beyond obvious
Christine Austin goes off the beaten track to draw up a calendar of which lesser-known grapes to taste when.
To anyone who has been anxiously waiting for me to roll out a list of suggested wines for World Malbec Day, I apologise, I missed it. April 17 was the designated special day for this grape variety and despite being inundated with suggestions of suitable wines for the occasion, or maybe because of them, I decided not to take any notice. In the same way I have missed the allocated days for Tannat, Furmint and Syrah. But if you are happy for some random marketing person to tell you when you should celebrate a particular day with a particular grape, then you might want to note down that next Wednesday is World Marselan Day, swiftly followed by International Viognier Day on Friday.
I have enough trouble remembering my extended family members’ birthdays, so these “grape variety days” tend to pass me by, and I really don’t understand why any grape or wine should have one special day per year. I prefer to choose wine according to the season or to accompany whatever I plan to cook rather than follow the lead of a contrived calendar of grapes.
However, there are hundreds of grape varieties that we should all try to taste occasionally if only to encourage growers to keep them in the ground. If we only drink a few of the major grapes, then the world of wine will lose its delightful variety. With that in mind, I have devised my own schedule for enjoying some of the less obvious grapes and flavours, although it is perfectly acceptable to mix and match all the suggested grapes and months to your own tastes.
January: As the popularity of Dry January increases, it is best to try to conceal what you may be planning to drink with dinner. Head for Eastern European grapes such as the dark, plum and red berry fruit of Feteasca Neagra in La Umbra (Waitrose, £6.99). It goes perfectly with winter foods and its name is so unfamiliar it could be mistaken for a health drink. Saperavi is another possible contender for January. Native to Georgia, this is a fresh-tasting, dark, juicy wine that goes particularly well with a slow-cooked beef casserole.
February: Some grapes and regions are more difficult to remember than others, so Roman Pfaffl and his sister Heidi Fischer produce Austrian wines that tell you what the wine tastes like. The Dot Austrian Plum is made from the St Laurent grape and it has plums, blackberries, cassis, sour cherries and lots of strawberries. Find it at Latitude in Leeds at £11.99.
March: As winter melts away, head to the sunshine of Sicily and try Frappato, a light, cherry red wine with strawberry flavours and a definite streak of
freshness – almost Beaujolais in character. It is used in a blend with Nero d’Avola to create the specialist wine of Vittoria, Cerasuolo di Vittoria. House of Townend has the organic Santa Tresa Frappato 2020 at £10.99.
April: As soon as the clocks go forward and there is a hint of spring in the air, it is time to uncork some fresh zesty white wines that will make summer arrive much faster. Instead of Sauvignon Blanc, head to the Verdejo variety from Rueda in Spain for its bright, crisp citrussy flavours with a hint of fennel and even a touch of peach.
Morrisons has a terrific Canto Real Rueda at just £6.50.
May: Rosé wine is becoming so pale that it is almost white, but there should be just enough colour to add those important strawberry fruit flavours to the final taste. A vast array of well-known grapes are used to make rosé wines, usually by taking the juice off the skins before too much colour is transferred into the wine. Sacha Lichine makes some seriously quaffable rosé wines in Provence, including The Pale (Waitrose, £13.99) which provides a taste of Caladoc and Rolle blended with the more usual Grenache, Cinsault and Merlot.
June: With 16 commercial vineyards in Yorkshire and several more in planning, it is time to get out into your local vineyard
and see the tiny, delicate flowers on the vines that will eventually become flavourfilled bunches of grapes. Try a variety you haven’t tried before such as a fresh, floral Ortega or a delicate Madeleine Angevine.
July: This is the month for summer garden parties and while Prosecco still rules supreme at many gatherings, Pignoletto could be a useful alternative. Generally, a little drier than Prosecco, it is a frothy, fruity, lemon-sherbetty style of wine. Try Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Pignoletto at £9.
August: Now that we are all acquainted with the Albariño grape from Rías Baixas, it is time to move on to the Godello, also grown in Galicia. This is aromatic, like Albariño, with a silk, rounded texture, often with a clear minerally streak on the finish. Try Winemaker Series Godello
2020 from Majestic (£9.99 on a mix-six deal) or the elegant, delicate balance of Pagos del Galir Godello from Field & Fawcett (£12.95).
September: Autumn is the time for Rioja when red fruits and oak seem to combine wonderfully alongside warming food. Mazuelo is one of the regular components of Rioja, but Marks & Spencer has it as a single variety in its Found range at £8.50.
October: Grown mainly in Spain and Portugal, Mencía was a harsh, tannic wine before modern winemaking allowed it to show its true character. Now Mencía wines are deep in colour, full of red and black fruits with underlying freshness. Try Maruxa from Majestic (£10.99 on a mix-six deal) and team it with spicy sausages.
November: Long identified with California’s Zinfandel, it seems that Primitivo is linked to the Croatian grape variety Tribidrag. Perhaps it is the
Italian climate that makes Primitivo so accommodating around food, with its dark, plum and spice flavours. Try Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Primitivo for £7.
December: South Africa’s Pinotage has changed. It used to be despised for its unripe flavours and off-notes, but vines have been replanted and winemaking improved. Now Pinotage shines with dark cherry fruit, herbs, and savoury complexity. Taste how it has changed by trying the fabulous Wolf & Woman Pinotage from Field & Fawcett, £17.90.