Rich vineyards of the inner valleys of the Peloponnese Pensinsula in Southern mainland Greece
By Elspeth Brown
The title of this article sounds like the beginning of a children’s book. Otterton is my daughter’s stuffed animal, and that cute creature goes everywhere with us. My daughter informed me that Otterton needs some new adventures and experiences—and I feel the exact same way as that stuffed otter.
If you, too, are looking for trip ideas, there are some really amazing up-and-coming wine regions to explore. Classic wine regions such as Bordeaux, Tuscany and Napa, are beautiful and wonderful, but they are not new and exciting. In addition, the climate and terroir are changing along with other regions in the world. Climate change is literally altering the landscape. Wines from the Bordeaux region in France taste quite different than they did 50 years ago. At the same time, other regions in the world, because of changes, now grow more outstanding, structured wines.
Currently, customers are looking for grape varietals they are not familiar with. They have grown tired of Merlot and Chardonnay, and are interested in tasting grapes that are indigenous to areas such as the country of Georgia, with white Rkatsiteli and red Saperavi. Now is the right time to start looking for those wines and exploring these spectacular places.
Greece, one of the top destinations in the world, has an ideal Mediterranean climate for grapes and visitors, with sun and minimal rainfall. Greek wines are food-friendly and reasonably priced, and consumers get excited about drinking them.
Georgia has been making wine for thousands of years. Winemaking stalled during 70 years of Soviet occupation, but is making a comeback. In 2017, Georgian wine imports in the US grew 54 percent from 2016.
Turkey has a long winemaking history, but had a setback in 2013 when the government banned alcohol advertising. Still, the country produces beautiful wines such as Bogazkere, a strong, rich red wine, and Emir, a light white wine.
Armenia also has a longstanding tradition of winemaking. It is home to the oldest winery in the world, dating back almost 6,100 years. Most Armenian grape varietals tend to be indigenous to the area. Voskehat is a medium-bodied white wine with ripe pear and tropical fruits, crisp and savory on the finish. Areni is a red grape varietal that is light- to medium-bodied with hints of cherry fruit and spice.
If you want to stay a little closer to home, check out Texas Hill Country. Texas is the fifth largest wine- producing state and the first state in the US to establish a winery. Winemakers there grow a lot of Spanish and Italian varietals. Most of the wines are not typically distributed outside of Texas, even more reason to visit.
Pack your bags, your favorite wine glass, possibly a squishy stuffed animal and get excited for new, adventurous traveling opportunities. Enjoy!
Elspeth Brown is owner of Maggie B’s Wine & Specialty Store, 10 C South Main Street, Weaverville. Visit MaggieBsWine.com or call 828.645.1111.
