Stop drinking cabernet sauvignon.
OK, I don’t really mean to entirely stop drinking cabernet sauvignon, the most-planted grape in the world (approx. 840,000 acres!) and the basis of some of the most-prized wines from Napa Valley and Bordeaux. But with thousands of other grape varieties out there, including many ancient indigenous varieties enjoying a comeback, why spend so much time — and money — for a bottle of big, tannic red? I know this is a go-to for a lot of people, but what if you got out of your comfort zone? You might find something new you really like.
Let’s look at Italian wine, for example. In a country that has 350 approved grape varieties (and reportedly more than 3,000 different varieties planted around the country), you could easily step into sangiovese, another noble grape variety. Hailing from Tuscany, you may know sangiovese as Chianti, Brunello di Montalcino, or Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. But whatever sub-region it comes from sangiovese is generally a medium-bodied red with notes of cherry, leather, smoke, plum, dried herbs and more. It has a rustic quality, great acid and good tannic structure. All that is to say it shares a lot of qualities with cab, so you won’t veer too far off your palate course.
If you do want a new experience and to expand your wine offerings, pop down to Sicily. The island, Italy’s largest wine region (by landmass), offers 70 different types of grapes. The most notable being nero d’avola, which drinks somewhat like syrah. You’ll get a medium-to-full bodied wine and taste cherry, dark plum, licorice, tobacco, thyme, balsamic, even fig, menthol, and chilis at times. What’s lovely about Sicilian wines is no matter where the vines grow on the island, they’ll get influenced by the Mediterranean, picking up lovely salinity and minerality, which also comes from the rich volcanic soils around Mount Etna on the eastern side of the island. And chances are the wine will be organic, as Sicily has more organic vineyards than anywhere else in Italy.
I have one more suggestion for you — not from Italy, but Spain: tempranillo. You may have heard people talk about opening a bottle of Rioja, but what they’re really opening is tempranillo. This is the dominant grape of Spain’s most famous growing region (not to mention other places around the country like Ribera del Duero and Penedés). And it’s one of my most favorite wines to drink. Fruit forward with cherry, plum, fig, tobacco, clove, and vanilla notes, tempranillo can be light or bold, fresh or savory. But it’s often a sexy, fun wine to drink whether you’re having a steak, a bowl of pasta with red sauce, or sitting around shooting the shit with friends.
While you may think you only like cabernet, there’s a whole world of wine out there waiting for you to drink. To make it easier for you, here are some bottles you could check out now.
TIME FOR WINE RECS
2018 Zisola Doppiozeta nero d’avola
I traveled to Sicily last fall with a group of wine writers. On our first full morning, we took a masterclass in nero d’avola led by the truly amazing and super charming wine expert Filippo Bartolotta. We did a blind tasting of six bottles of nero and this one, from the Noto area in southeast Sicily, impressed. It had notes of chocolate, raspberry, blackberry, thyme, balsamic and black licorice. If you can find it, grab a bottle. Other Sicilian nero producers to seek out: Feudo Disisa (I had this with a chocolate tasting at the famed L’Antica Dolceria Bonajuto, which has been making acclaimed chocolates in Modica for 150 years), Donnafugata, Planeta and Cusumano. — these last three being largely imported into the U.S.
2020 Rocca delle Macie Chianti Classico
While still in lockdown in May of 2020, I had the pleasure of doing a zoom tasting with Sergio Zingarelli, president and owner of this famed Tuscan winery in the heart of the Chianti region. We tasted through a range of their wines, including the 2016 Sergio Zingarelli Chianti Classico Gran Selezione, which retails for around $80. This more-approachable Chianti Classico is their entry level bottling (for about $16) offers a full body with soft tannins, cherry, and a bit of leather. The beauty of sangiovese is you can find it everywhere at a range of prices and quality. Find some at your local wine shop.
2017 Marqués de Cáceres Reserva
OK, I will admit this is a fairly common bottle of tempranillo from Rioja. But it’s special to me as it was one of the first I discovered while studying in Madrid in college. I thought it was the greatest wine I had ever tasted. With black fruit, softer tannins, spice and silkiness it’s a good introduction to tempranillo. That said, you’ll find some incredible tempranillos from smaller producers from all around Spain. But as one to dip your toe, this won’t steer you wrong.
Something Glorious things I love you should love too:
Joy: I’m really not one for New Year’s resolutions, but this year I decided to create a “more + less” list of things I want, well, more and less of in my life. At the top of the “more” I wrote “JOY.” Not that I don’t experience a lot of joy in my life, I do. I just want more of it — and I want to seek out people, experiences and places that fill me with more joy.
Re:SET Chicago: I love a good music festival and there’s certainly no shortage. But this one was just announced for late June in Chicago with LCD Soundsystem, Jamie XX, Toro y Moi, Steve Lacy, James Blake and more. Register to get early access to tickets.
Paka: I’ve had a decent light puffy coat from Uniqlo for a few years, but when my husband, Drew, turned me on to this brand, I knew I had to get it. Produced in small batches, the Pakafill Lightweight Puffer is stylish yet super warm. It’s filled with sustainable alpaca fiber — an ethical option that’s traceable back to its small farm in Peru — and comes in various colors for men and women. They sell fantastic alpaca sweaters, too.
My parents are celebrating their 59th anniversary today (Feb. 1)! Happy happy anniversary mom and dad — I love you!
Some tunes that bring me JOY! [note, you may need to log in to Spotify and launch your player to hear full tracks if it’s only giving you previews.]
Stop Drinking Cabernet!!
Ari, this is great. And I've actually had some of the wines here and agree with you. Great article and recommendations. xoxoxo
Congratulations on the new venture and many thanks from Mom & me for acknowledging our 59th anniversary. Always remember that if it were not for us, this column would never have appeared.
Love ya,
Dad