2010 - The Year in Wine - What to say? There was wine, and it was good. It's never been a better time to be a wine drinker than right now. There's more good wine out there now than there's ever been. Every country, every grape variety and at every price point there's good juice to be had. I think 2010 in America is the year people here (Europeans have known it for centuries) realized wine & food together are a sum greater than the individual parts. 2010 has been a super year for South American wines. There's so much good vino out there from Chile & Argentina and Casa di Vino added our first wines from Uruguay in 2010. Another emerging market.
Tasmanian wines from Australia reached our shores this year also. Long recognized in Australia for their Pinot Noirs and bracing Rieslings, Tasmania will be an up-and-comer here in 2011. Here in the U.S. more and more folks are discovering the fine wines of Washington & Oregon but in 2011 I think the general public will become more conscious of wines from other states like Texas, New Mexico, Arizona & Michigan. The wines of New York & Virginia are already well established. Lastly, some "new" grape varieties that I think will get "discovered" in 2011 include whites; Insolia & Grillo from Sicily, Moschofilero from Greece & Verdejo/Verdelho from Spain/Australia. Red varieties seeing the spotlight in 2011 include Corvina & Aglianico from Italy, Mencia from Spain and Bonarda & Tannat from South America. Carmenere will also continue to become the preeminent red grape of Chile as Malbec has become in Argentina.
So that's the state of the grape (per this wine & food guy) as 2010 comes to a close. Just remember, there's approx. 3000 different grape varieties recognized out there on this big blue marble we live on so why limit yourself? Expand your horizons. Taste, taste again with food, experiment and who knows, perhaps next year at this time you'll have a new favorite grape.
Eat well, drink well, live well.
All the best in 2011,
Howard Bernstein
Owner, Casa di Vino
Wine and Food Guy,
Des Moines Wine & Food Connection
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