POUR

The Terra Madre Winery, Komarna Appellation, Dalmatia

OFF THE VINE In With the NEW

Bored with the same old wines? Looking for a new flavor profile? Then it time to investigate these emerging wine regions now available in the U.S.

By Mark Spivak

ARMENIA

Probably the oldest wine-producing region on the planet, Armenia is the site of wineries dating to 4,000 B.C. Wine cultivation has experienced a renaissance since Armenian independence in 1991, and the country is once again a star in the Caucasus region. Storica Wines (storicawines.com), an import company focused on marketing, production, and direct-to-consumer sales, has spearheaded distribution. It has partnered with visionaries such as Syrian-born, Italian-trained Vahe Keushguerian, who repatriated to Armenia and founded WineWorks, a consulting firm and “winery incubator.” Varieties such as Voskehat and Khatouni may not be household names, but the wine is delicious.

Properties to watch: Keushguerian’s label, Keush, specializes in sparkling wines such as Origins ($21) and Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut ($31); his daughter Aimee’s label, Zulal, offers an Areni Noir ($19) and Areni Reserve ($30).

Zulal is one of Armenia’s premier wine labels

ZENITH PHOTO STUDIO

CROATIA

With 130 indigenous grape varieties, 300 wine regions, and a history nearly as long as Armenia’s, Croatia has much to offer wine drinkers—and those in the U.S. are beginning to discover it thanks to importers such as Croatian Premium Wine (croatianpremiumwine.com). Quality has been steadily improving since the country emerged from Yugoslavia’s communist regime. While much of the output is white, the country claims to be the birthplace of the Zinfandel grape, known locally as Plavac Mali. Major cultivation areas include the eastern and western continental regions, as well as Dalmatia and Istria.

Top estates: Fans of California wine will be familiar with Grgi Vina, which legendary winemaker Miljenko “Mike” Grgich of Napa’s Grgich Hills established in 1996. Other labels to seek out include Terra Madre, Duboković, Bibich, Stina, Korta Katarina, Milo, and the Meneghetti Winery.

BAJA CALIFORNIA

More than 150 wineries are situated within two hours of the San Ysidro border crossing, primarily along the Ruta del Vino in the Guadalupe Valley. The valley has a Mediterranean climate, thanks to sea breezes coming inland

from the Pacific Ocean. Quality has been soaring in recent years, and the wines are becoming available here through importers such as Baja United Wines (bajaunitedwines.com) and LMA Wines (lmawines.com). Popular varieties are similar to those grown in California, with the addition of Chenin Blanc and Nebbiolo.

Noteworthy producers: The three largest producers (L.A. Cetto, Casa Domecq, and Bodegas de Santo Tomás) account for three-quarters of the production, but boutique operations such as Bichi, Casa de Piedra, and La Casa Vieja are demonstrating just how good the wines from this hot, arid climate can be.

SARDINIA

Most Sardinian wine was traditionally consumed on the spot, due in part to the island’s lackluster economy. While that has started to improve, an unfamiliar group of native grape varieties—Torbato, Semidano, and Cagnulari—has hampered international trade, to an extent. Vermentino, the signature white wine grape, largely gained fame by being produced on Antinori’s Tenuta Guado al Tasso estate hundreds of miles away. The bestknown red variety, Cannonau (aka Grenache), is reputed to be loaded with antioxidants, and some experts equate its consumption with the longevity that has made Sardinia a recognized Blue Zone, areas around the world with a high number of residents who live longer than average.

Familiar labels: The renaissance in Sardinian wine is reflected in the bottles from Sella & Mosca, Santadi, Argiolas, and Jankara that are turning up on our retail shelves. In the forefront of that renaissance are properties such as Vigne Surrau, a “young company with an old soul” that specializes «in estate-grown Vermentino and Cannonau.

DAVID JOSUE DAVID JOSUE

Bodegas de Santo Tomás is one of the three largest wine producers in the Baja California region.