First and foremost, I need to define the word obscure. I checked the Oxford Dictionary which gives me the following definitions – “not discovered or known about;” “uncertain.” Neither one of these definitions really fit what I wanted to say. By obscure, I was thinking about wine varieties that are not front-line, like Cabernet Sauvignon or even Zinfandel. Varieties that you may not ever have had or even heard about. There are 4 such varieties that I grow in my vineyard. I use these varieties for blending, as well as for making stand-alone varietal wines for my Gallery Collection Club.
The varieties that I have in mind are: Touriga Nacional, Grenache, Cabernet Franc, and Petite Sirah. In the following paragraphs, I will describe these 4 varieties. My intention is to get you curious about these varieties and generate a desire to taste them. One sure way to get all four is by joining our Gallery Collection Wine Club.
TOURIGA NACIONAL – Originating in Portugal, Touriga is the star grape of Port wines. This grape can produce very exciting and exotic wines with floral and leathery aromas, and intense berry-like and spicy flavors. In many ways, Touriga Nacional is very much like Cabernet Sauvignon. Both varieties display dark fruit flavors with firm tannins. This variety is lately becoming very fashionable. It has been added to the short list of Bordeaux varietals.
GRENACHE – Grenache originated in northern Spain, in the region of Aragón where it is known as Garnacha. It arrived at the Southern Rhone wine region of France by the 16th century to become an important grape variety of Chateauneuf-du-Pape, the most famous and iconic wine region in the area. The Grenache grapevine was brought to light in the world stage mainly due to its being more resistant to Phylloxera, a microscopic aphid-like insect that feeds on the roots of the vine and causes the vine to eventually die. Traditionally, this grape variety has been mainly used for blending and has not had great success as a stand-alone variety. It is light in color and tannins, like Pinot Noir. A few years ago, I read somewhere that “Grenache delivers what Pinot promises,” which stayed in my mind. To me, Grenache has aromatics that are fruity as well as herbaceous, and a light silky texture reminiscent of Pinot Noir.
CABERNET FRANC – Cabernet Franc is one of the major red grape varieties in the world mainly used as a blending wine especially as an ideal minor partner to Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot in Bordeaux style wines. It is also produced as a stand-alone variety in the Loire in France and in California. Viewed as a gentler version of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc thrives in the warmer climate and sandy soils of our region. Contrary to the Cabernet Franc that grows in the cooler climates of Bordeaux and the Loire, our Cabernet Franc has a deep red color and is abundant in refined tannins, making this wine full bodied. Records of Cabernet Franc in Bordeaux go back to the end of the 18th century, although it was planted in Loire long before that time. DNA analysis indicates that Cabernet Franc is one of two parents of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Carménère. Cabernet Franc is very proud for having three very famous siblings.
PETITE SIRAH – Petite Sirah, aka Durif, was named after Francois Durif, a botanist from the French University of Montpellier who created it. After more than 100 years, Petite Sirah’s father was identified through DNA analysis as Syrah, while the source seed was obtained from another French variety named Peloursin. Petite Sirah contains generous amounts of tannins, color, and backbone that make it an ideal wine for use as a blending wine. For just these reasons, it can be a challenge to make it into a balanced varietal wine. The secret is to allow the grapes to completely ripen prior to harvest. Under these circumstances, Petite Sirah can be made into a magnificent standalone variety with an inky dark purple color with aromas of blueberry and hints of smoke that carry to the finish adding cocoa and coffee flavors.
Was I able to arouse your desire to try any of these “obscure” varieties? If so, you may want to join our Gallery Collection Club.
Chaim,
November 2025