Obscure wine recommendations

] OK, I admit that this is a very vague request, and obscure is a ] relative term, I suppose. ] ] I am hosting a wine tasting party in 3 weeks, and I wanted to do ] something a bit different for my contribution this time. In the past, ] I have gravitated towards mid-range things like Ridge Lytton Springs, ] Bollinger NV, Chateau Gloria, etc. ] ] This time, I want to bring something that I can be sure that nobody has ] ever had. I don't know what is available in Maine from such places as ] Switzerland, Luxembourg, or other small countries, but that's the sort ] of thing I'm looking for. I tried to find some Z de l'Arjolle (zin ] from the Languedoc), but was not successful. ]

Hi Chris,

Interesting challenge -- let's see if I can get the ball rolling with some french suggestions.

How about a VDN rouge from Rasteau? Rare in the states, but IIRC K&L used to stock one. One of the best is from La Soumade, Didier Charavin also makes a good one.

Pinot d'Aunis, a Coteaux du Loir? Can be quite bizarre, always a crowd stumper. Seems to me I've seen someone mention this cepage recently on afw.

While we're in the neighborhood, how about a Jasnieres?

More obscure stuff from the Rhone, perhaps a nice Chatillon-en

-Diois Gamay? Or a light bubbly Clairette de Die tradition from Faure or Vincent? Or a warm weather syrah from the Coteaux des Baronnies.

I'll bet someone here will come up with (at least) a good swiss that's available, not sure about the Luxemburgois, though... :)

Weather must just be getting nice up there in vacationland. Good luck with your search!

-E

I would suggest one of the more obscure Austrian varietals, such as a dry Furmint (Heidi Schrock is a good producer, and I know it is imported here to the US) or a Neuburger (I would recommend Gritsch Mauritiushof, which I also know is available here in the US because we import this one) Have fun!

e.

Ack! How did my "nickname" change? That's no good...

Hello Chris,

I served a 1993 Royal Tokaji Aszu Essencia to my wine group a couple of years ago and they still talk about it. Available in the Seattle area for ca. $170 USD. I've thought about putting together a horizontal of '93 Aszu Essencias -- Royal Tokaji, Disznoko, Bodvin, Pajzos -- but the thought of costly infanticide on that scale has always held me back. Maybe in 2013....

--Bill

Chateau-Chalon from the Jura in France is not an estate but rather a village and AC. Several sell it, with Henri Maire being one I have seen in the US in the past - I have not shopped for it recently. It is a light yellow white wine that is made in a style somewhat like dry sherry, but the taste is quite different from dry sherry. Your guests will have a strong reaction to this wine - some will love it and some will hate it. It is a very bold wine.

Chateau Simone in the AC Palette in Provence France makes red, white and pink wines that have considerable character and are different in taste from most better known wines. I have seen both the red and white n the US in the past, but again I have not shopped for it recently.

Southern Italian wines are now much better know on the export market than in the past. One fine wine that many have not tasted is Aglianico del Vulture from a good source such as Donato d'Angelo. The Riserva often is best, and this powerful red needs a few years of age to smooth out.

Reply to snipped-for-privacy@cwdjr.net .

Thanks to everyone for the suggestions. I shopped around Portland yesterday, and wasn't able to find a lot in the way of obscure wine, but I did find one that piqued my interest enough to buy it:

Chateau Musar 1997.

I'm quite sure nobody in my circle of friends has had wine from Lebanon, and I've heard that this is an excellent wine. I know that this isn't very obscure in terms of style, but it is somewhat obscure in terms of origin.

- Chris

"Chris Sprague" wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@g43g2000cwa.googlegroups.com:

My local wine shop has that, do let us know how it goes.

] "Chris Sprague" wrote in ] news: snipped-for-privacy@g43g2000cwa.googlegroups.com: ] [] ] > Chateau Musar 1997. ] > [] ] ] My local wine shop has that, do let us know how it goes. ]

I think this is an excellent choice. Hochar's wines should be much more widely known. They often present tremendous value, also. Although I haven't had this 97 I've enjoyed many others.

Here's a note I pulled from their site

IIRC they have notes on practically all the available vintages.

"1997: First tasted with Serge Hochar in the Chateau Musar cellars, December 1999. The wine was still in individual vats: Cinsault from the garrigues of Kefraya in the Bekaa Valley: crisp, fragrant; attractive, some elegance. Carignan from Ana, a little further north: more flesh, nice fruit, very tannic. Cabernet Sauvignon was an incredibly deep colour; green, stalkv nose; austere, astringent. It would be another year before blending. Most recently, seemed fully developed, good flavour, lovely aftertaste. Last tasted May 2002 ****"

-E ] -- ] Joseph Coulter ] Cruises and Vacations ]

]

[] ] Last tasted May 2002 ****"

Sorry, the attribution seems to have gotten lost in the copy/paste.

It's from Michael Broadbent.

Bartlett Farms isn't exaclty obscure up here. They make it about 15 miles away from where I'm hosting the tasting :-)

There's another Maine winery that I know of, Blacksmith's in South Casco

who makes wines from sourced grapes from out of state. A few of them are decent, but their higher end wines seem to be their worst.

The others you mentioned sound intersting.