Page 3 - Varietals

Cabernet Sauvignon is unmistakably one of the world's most recognised red wine varieties. It is produced in most major wine growing regions across the world, from the banks of the Gironde in France to Lebanon's Beqaa Valley, to the valleys of California where it overtook the Zinfandel variety on it's rise to glory.

Verdelho is a white wine grape grown throughout Portugal, though most associated with the island of Madeira, and also gives its name to one of the four main types of Madeira wine.

Viognier (pronounced 'vee-own-yay'), is a white grape varietal with a distinctly French background. With its own special charm, it has managed to squeeze in a seat at the red wine table; breezing into the room like a freshly groomed bachelor, leaving a pleasant scent in its wake.

The case of the mystery grape, that once ruled high and low across Californian wine country: an intriguing look into this big and bold red grape variety. It's almost too good to be true.

A Californian wonder

Introducing Zinfandel, a plump, dark skinned grape of the red wine persuasion. Calling California home, with over 44,000 acres currently under vine, it was introduced to this particular part of U.S somewhere around 1830-1850, during the Gold Rush era. It absolutely thrived in the Cali conditions, giving it warm climates and suitable soils. Nobody asked any questions and it was widely accepted that 'Zin' was firmly embedded in the viticultural history of America. Fast forward the best part of a century and the Zin-craze continued as it survived Prohibition Era, as the grapes were shipped east, to make a fine drop behind closed doors. Up until only recently, it was the most planted red grape variety in California usurped only by the rising glamour of Cabernet Sauvignon.

The story unfolds