I was recently invited to a dinner party where the theme was “various varietals.” The guests were not allowed to bring any “commonly” produced wine. I applauded the host for going out on a limb and shunning the de rigueur choices of cabernet sauvignon, merlot, chardonnay and the like. After all, there are over 200 fairly common unique grape varietals from which wine is produced, and probably another three or four hundred varietals of wine grapes that many of us have simply never heard of. If you are really open to expanding both your proverbial wine horizon as well as your palate, discovering the history behind tasty, lesser known varietals can be its own reward. Even though some wines might contain 10 or more varietals in a bottle (think Chateauneuf du Pape), it’s still not as easy as one might think.
Best of all, many of these lesser known varietals and blends tend to deliver a lot of quality for the money. Here are four of my favorite wines made from varietals you probably have never heard of, all priced under $30. Retail prices are approximate.
