The next big thing? In grapes?

Attenzione, ragazzi!

Dr. Debs has raised an interesting question on Good Wine for Under $20.  To whit:

Which grapes will be the Next Big Thing?  One red and one white.

As a Californian (she's a good person despite that), she posits Petite Sirah [sic] and Viognier or Albariño.  I'm not so sure about the PS, but she made a pretty decent call with the Viognier and Albariño, in my 'umble opinion. 

But since this blog is allegedly about Italian wine, let's think in terms of Italia.  So, in the spirit of good bloggership or something, let me ask youse guys, what do YOUSE think will be the Next Big Thing in Italian grapes? 

As always, I have my opinions, but I will keep them to myself for a while. 

Hint:  Salvezza viene dal Sud.  Salvation comes from the South 

Comments

[Doug Cook]

Salvation comes from the south... LA? I think not.

[Strappo]

Hey, buddy, I quote Randy Newman, who should be your hero because he wrote "Short People," "I love LA!"

Well, I don't despise it. Although next to New York...fuhgeddaboutit.

[Dr. Debs]

Anything from Sicily, especially Nero d'Avola; almost anything from Abruzzo, especially Pecorino. I kind of wish it was Ansonica, because I love it, but I doubt that will make the grade. Just hope it's not Verdecchio. Too much like PG.

[David J]

In spite of myself, I'm pitching for the Argentino team, including Italo-Argentinos, natch. Nero d'Avola seems to be gaining traction. I speak from Puerto Rico, marginal market, but a good 'leading indicator' as far as penetration of mass awareness is concerned, IMHO.
Point I didn't spell out in my recent write-ups, Argentina seems to have the terroir to make something more complex out of Trebbiano/Ugni Blanc than is the rule for the grape. But there's no glamour attached. Viognier has the glamour, & plantings seem to be happening near everywhere-- throwing money at the ground to see what sticks, viticulturally.
Funny you haven't brought Vermentino up-- of course the good stuff is Sardo, & they can't provide volume for the market.
Dr.Debs, my mouth waters from yr mention of these varietals I don't know.
Do any of you have figures on how different 'markets' pan out in terms of taste? As in, NY & East Coast vs. CaliPalate? Could we see a major divergence that different producers, growers could take advantage of rather than being stymied by?
In my ideal situ, I can sell my Argentino Bonarda in Cali, my Merlot in Puerto Rico...

[gianpaolo]

Ansonica and Sangiovese, of course ;-)
To be more serious, as I said on Dr.Debs' post earlier, don't you think that it is time to focus on terroirs rather than grape variety, the reason being that the same grape can make excellent, good, mediocre and poor wines according to where and how it was grown (not to mention the way the wine was made).
I know that variety is easier to understand and communicate when it comes to wine martketing, but people have to start to move on the next step of wine's mysteries unveiled.

[fredric koeppel]

why the (sic) on petite sirah? historically, that's how the grape is spelled.

the trouble with viognier is that it just doesn't do well outside of its native ground in the northern rhone. and then you get winemakers in California who pump it up with oak and malo and turn it into bad chardonnay.

albarino can make a lovely wine; it would be nice to see producers in appropriate climes pick that grape up, but again, letting it alone to make a clean, refreshing wine.

well, the important factor is not taking grape varieties out of context.

[tracie b]

i would hate to see albarino be anything other than what it is--citrus and mineral, which would likely happen if california got its hands on it.

i am seeing all of the campanian whites out and about a bit more, but the stuff we get around here is all spoof, so what people are talking about isn't a representation of the true grecos, fianos, and falanghinas. but that doesn't matter, trends go avanti with their inertia.

reds: i know you want us to predict for something from the south, but your mind control doesn't have a satellite connection to texas. so i think sagrantino is going to get more attention--though mi farebbe piacere to see some aglianico get the spotlight, just don't think it will and frankly, the international spotlight tends to ruin the autoctoni so that's fine with me.

i think we will see some pallagrello nero and bianco in the distant future though...magari!

[Strappo]

What great comments! Comments are the lifeblood of blogs, you see, and you are giving this blog its vibrant, pulsing life.

I take seriously Gianpaolo's suggestion that we stop talking grapes and start talking terroir, because what WOULD a Pallagrello Bianco from California be like anyway? (Echoing the one and only tracie.)

That said, I'd like to propose the next big commercial thing (Italian version) as Aglianico and Falanghina. As to what somms and geeks go for, it'd have to be something like, say, Mayolet and Carrjcante.

FK, thanks for nitpicking my erroneous nitpicking. You humble me. You'll pay.

[Dr. Debs]

Tracie, you should try some Bokisch Albarino from California--you may be surprised. They are fantastic, and they are experimenting very much with terroir. They are treating Albarino as a vineyard designate grape, and trying to figure out how different microclimates shape minerality and citrus. It was revelatory. The Bonny Doon Albarino is not shabby, either, but is more $.

The real issue on Alb is the one Fredric brought up with respect to Viognier: once other makers rip out their SBlanc and put in Alb, will they start trying to make it taste like Chard w/ oak and malolactic? Ugh.

[David J]

Judging from what's in the market, there may indeed be a groundswell of interest in Agliano: I missed a chance back in '06- '07 to step into Pizzeria Delfina in San Francisco & taste about five different DOC Aglianicos by the glass: del Vulture, del Taburno, dell' Irpinia, forget where else. Is SF a trustworthy 'leading indicator' for these kinds of trends? ;)

[Strappo]

Good q, djr. Honestly don't know. I think NYC is a "leading indicator" for a lot of imported wines, but then again it seems pretty atypical in its breadth of offerings and relatively low prices. Most of the big wine media outlets are based here, so there's that element of influence and leading edge about New York.

Someone else want to chime in?

[michele colline]

Vermentino should have caught on long ago so don't know that it ever will. I echo the comments above on albarino and viognier...leave them where they do well..Spain and France. I think falaghina has a shot since DOCGs(fiano and greco)aren't a 'new' hot thing. For the geeks it's got to be kerner(not enough made to be the 'next' thing). And, why the wines(red and white)from Val d'Aosta haven't caught on is a mystery to me. Crisp, fresh whites and light to medium-bodied reds that are peppery and flavorful without being overoaked, thank you.

[Strappo]

Great comments about Kerner (which I like a lot). Val d'Aosta wines really are lovely and they have the advantage of being made in tiny quantities, which should add to their allure for the geeks.

Geeks...like us.

[michele colline]

I almost forgot about Favorita. Come on, it's from a famous zone...Piemonte...and the reds are all over priced anyway by now, aren't they? Maybe it could fit in the 'cult' category.