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In trying times, we all need a little…wine. And Cabernet, day after day, can get a little same-y. Here are some totally off the beaten track varietals from around the Mediterranean and beyond that (just might) get you excited about life again. We’ve included a little about travel in their native regions…or you can check where to buy them near you on a site like 1000corks.com or vivino.
Reds
Nero di Troia
Boğazkere and Öküzgözü
These two awesome reds may seem daunting to pronounce at first, but once you get the hang of them (Bo-asz-keh-reh and Oh-goosz-ko-zhu, respectively) they slip off the tongue like the dry, velvety grapes they describe.
Where can you get it?
Turkey. Most restaurants sell one or the other, or you can visit a winery like Turasan in Cappadocia.
Negru de Purcari
by: Juno Kim – Courtesy: Trip.com
Another off-the-beaten track full bodied red, the Negru de Purcari actually blends a Moldovan grape called Rara neagră, the Georgian Saperavi and good old Cabernet. It’s aged in oak barrels and is only produced in limited runs!
Where can you get it? Moldova. Visit the winery itself in Purcari or keep an eye out for the bottle in shops and on menus.
Whites
Arneis
by: A Continuous Lean flickr – Courtesy: Trip.com
Arneis means ‘little rascal’ in Piemontese dialect – we hear, because it’s particularly hard to grow, not because it makes you go all crazy. The wine is full-bodied and some people say it’s a white that drinks like a red.
Where can you get it? A drive through Piedmont’s hills in the north of Italy will turn up numerous wineries along the way, many of which will have Arneis, but you can plan ahead with spots like Ceretto.
Assyrtiko
This Greek white grape is often made into syrupy dessert wines or blended with Sauvignon…but on its own is a volcanic, mineral-rich treat.
Where can you get it? The Greek island of Santorini is its native land. Visit the Koutsoyannopoulos Winery for a taste of this and other cool, obscure Greek grapes.
Juhfark
Departing from the Mediterranean for one white grape with a truly rad name. The name means ‘sheep’s tail’ and is hard to find. The volcanic soiled Somló is said to have a positive effect on women who long for a son. The wine is smoky, mineral-rich, super-complex and great with wild game.
Where can you get it?The obscure Hungarian wine region of Somló. Head to Tornai winery or Fekete winery.
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Source: gogobot.com