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I believe that choosing a good wine is an art. My wife loves this drink, but only on the condition that it is of high quality, natural. I often try to surprise my wife and look for unusual wines that you don’t often find on the supermarket shelf. I usually order online. Today I will tell you about delicious, but little-known wines.
Which countries produce the most delicious wine?
There are many varieties or brands of wine in the world. Many of them are promoted and in demand because consumers are afraid to try something new. I must admit that I myself was the same conservative. I have my own rating of countries, the wines from which will definitely be of high quality. I would like to introduce you to him.
The first and most important country in the production of wine can be called France. A large number of small and large wine regions has made this country a true leader in the production of quality wines.
In second place in my personal ranking is Italy. It does not have many wine regions and, in general, they are all located in the highlands, but in terms of quality and certification they are not inferior to French ones.
Important: grape varieties may be the same in different countries, but the growing conditions and production technology will be different.
Third place – Chile. The country is rapidly gaining momentum in the sale and production of quality wine. At one time, large consignments of grape bushes from France were brought into it. Some of them have not been preserved in the supplier country itself, but they feel great in Chile. However, in Chile the climate is different from French, so the wines there are unique, but nevertheless very high quality.
Fourth and final on my list is South Africa. This country in Africa, which also brought a lot of elite grape varieties from around the world. Since the 17th century, they have been using their own technology for the production of wines, which are very much appreciated by both ordinary lovers and professionals.
The most famous wine brands
According to the statistics of the World Association of Winemakers, dry wines are the most common both in terms of the number of produced and in sales among all others. This fact was a discovery for me, because in my environment there are not many people who love dry wine.
Important: dry wines contain no more than 0.5% sugar, but at the same time they have excellent taste and aroma.
The most popular varieties among white grape varieties include:
- Chardonnay;
- Riesling;
- Muscat;
- Tokay.
In the first places in the popularity rating are such brands of dry white wines as Saint Clair (Saint Clair), Oyster Bay (Oyster Bay) and Private Bin (Private Bin).
Red grape varieties:
- Pinot Noir;
- Cheese;
- Cabernet Sauvignon;
- Chianti.
Popular brands: Bourgogne Pinot Noir La Vignee (Bourgogne Pinot Noir La Viognier), Villa Romanov Meotida Pinot Noir (Villa Romanov Meotilda Pinot Noir), Saint-Joseph Rouge Lieu-dit (Saint Joseph Lieu-dit).
Semi-sweet, semi-dry wines differ from dry ones in production technology and in the amount of sugar. They may use the same grape varieties or mixtures thereof.
The most popular include:
- Amaronedella Valpolicella (Amarone Della Valpolicella);
- Trabucchi Recioto della Valpolicella (Trabucci Reioto della Valpolicella);
- Chateau Cantegril;
- Albert Boxler, Gewurztraminer (Albert Boxler, Gewurztraminer).
What affects the taste of wine
The taste of wine is 90% dependent on the region of growth and the conditions in which the grapes grew, which are turned into wine. Conditions include:
- soil quality;
- climate;
- height above sea level;
- age of the vine;
- regularity of watering;
- bush care, for example, removing extra bunches of grapes;
- grape harvest conditions (manual or automated).
And only 10% of the taste and quality of wine depend on the hands of the winemaker, the storage conditions of the grapes.
The same 10% can also include the quality of barrels for aging wine, the proportions of mixing grape varieties, and the aging period.
6 unknown but great wine brands
Sometimes you can find a fine wine that will not be expensive. In choosing wine, I suggest starting not from the “hype” of the brand, but from the grape variety from which it is made. So you can find a drink with a little-known name, but not inferior in taste to well-known brands.
- Signae “Benozzo”, Umbria Rosso (Sinae “Benozzo”, Umbria Rosso). Made in Italy since 2014. It is semi-dry from black Sagrantino grapes grown in Umbria. The wine is full-bodied, rich in tannins and with good taste characteristics.
- Villa Raiano Fiano de Avellino (Villa Rayano Fiano de Avellino). The brand has been produced in Italy from the Fiano De Greco grape variety since 2011. This grape variety is native to Greece. It is not very common in Italy, but it makes an excellent wine with a sour aftertaste.
- Cono Sur Single Vineyard Riesling (Kono Sur Single Vineyard Riesling). The Chilean brand Cono Sur has been producing this wine since 2016, so it is little known. The usual sour Riesling variety is not common in the Chilean wine regions, but the wine from it is worth trying, because they are very high quality and tasty.
- Domaine Madeloc Cuvee Tremadoc (Domain Madeloc Cuvee Tremadoc). The brand is from France. This wine has been produced since 2016 from a very common variety in Italy, but little known in France – Vermentino. A very interesting combination of truly Italian wines with French winemaking technologies.
- Cotes du Rhone Blanc Les Claux (Cote du Rhone Blanc Le Cloux). Excellent strong (14%) dry white wine from France. Produced from the Claret variety. The few vineyards of this variety occupies the remote corners of France. But the wine is rich, noble. Increasingly, this variety is added to blends, but you can also find pure execution, as in this wine.
- KWV Classic Collection Pinotage (KVV Classic Collection Pinotage). The wines from South Africa themselves are rare guests in stores and little heard, but they are wonderful in their taste and aroma characteristics. For example, it is the Pinotage variety from which this wine is made, bred in 1925 by crossing Pinot Noir and Cinsault.
Personally, I choose wines from South Africa for myself, because there are many different mixed grape varieties and the production technology is somewhat different from the usual European ones.
Excessive alcohol consumption is harmful to your health. Take care of yourself!
What wines do you prefer? Are you a conservative or do you still like to experiment?