Wine Tasting Archives

6 min

Rare Varieties

Piedirosso – Blessed by the Tears of Christ Under Mount Vesuvius

In 79 AD, the massive, destructive eruption of Mount Vesuvius brought tragedy to Campania in Southern Italy. The eruption infamously destroyed and buried Pompeii in volcanic ash, freezing the ancient…

View Post

4 min

Rare Varieties

Maturana Tinta Makes A Comeback from near Extinction in Rioja

When I started this series on rare varieties, my intentions were twofold. First, I was curious to discover the lesser known varieties of the world. Due to the fact that…

View Post

4 min

Rare Varieties

Graševina – A Grape of Unknown Origins Thrives In Croatia

Though not a common wine on the international scene, Graševina is the most widely planted grape in Croatia. Actually, Graševina claims something like every fifth vine in the country. As…

View Post

3 min

Rare Varieties

Pušipel – A Grape of Many Names

Have you ever heard of Furmint, one of the varieties behind Hungary’s famed Tokaji wines? Well, in Croatia, Furmint is known as Pušipel. Actually, Furmint was called Šipon in Croatia…

View Post

3 min

Rare Varieties

Babić – A Powerful And Fresh Croatian Red Wine

If you’re looking for a harmonious, balanced and unique red wine, then look no further than Babić. Grown only in northern Dalmatia, this Croatian variety accounts for just 1% of…

View Post

3 min

Rare Varieties

Grk – The Most Obscure Wine I’ve Tasted Yet

What’s the most obscure variety you’ve ever tasted? For me, it’s Grk. This indigenous Croatian variety grows exclusively on the island of Korçula in Lumbarda. Actually, this village is the…

View Post

3 min

Rare Varieties

Limnio Embodies The Potential of New Greek Wines

This week’s Rare Varieties feature takes us back to Greece to discover an ancient variety first mentioned by Homer. Actually, Homer wasn’t the only famous ancient Greek writer to talk…

View Post

4 min

Rare Varieties

Plavac Mali – A “Little Blue” Grape Makes Powerful Wines

If you have never tried a Croatian wine, then Plavac Mali is an ideal place to begin. This is also the Croatian wine that is likely most accessible to you,…

View Post

4 min

Rare Varieties

Goruli Mtsvane – The Life of The Party

Quite literally, Georgia is the birthplace of wine. What could be more impressive than that? Perhaps the fact that Georgians have continuously implemented the same traditional winemaking methods for over…

View Post

4 min

Rare Varieties

Pošip – A Captivating Croatian Variety from Korčula

In October 2017, I visited Croatia and completely fell in love with the country. You’d be hard-pressed not to with enchanting views of the crystalline Adriatic Sea, truly delicious local…