The Spirited Gourmet :: 448 Common Street Belmont MA

Germany (5-10% of Our Wine Selection) German wines have an unmistakable identity that is rooted, and most likely will always be, in Riesling. Due to the overwhelming amount of German tables wines that were imported into the U.S. in the mid 20th century, many consumers believe all German wines to be simple and easy wines for immediate consumption and/or not to be taken seriously. Nothing could be further from the truth. Rieslings come in many different styles, levels of ripeness and amounts of sweetness. They are the most food friendly wines in the world, and belong at every dinner table.

Aside from Riesling, Germany produces other varietals such as Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir), Gewürztraminer, Scheurebe, Weissburgunder (Pinot Blanc), Grauburgunder (Pinot Gris), even Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.

France (20% of Our Wine Selection) When one thinks of France, it is impossible to think of the country without wine and vice-versa! The famous regions of Alsace, Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne, Loire Valley and the Rhone Valley have been, and still are, making some of the best white and red wines the world has to offer. Well known grape varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Syrah, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris and Sauvignon Blanc all originate from this old country.

But while those areas get the most international praise, there are other regions, some of which have been making wine since the Middle Ages, that deserve recognition. Places like Cahors, Madiran, Jurancon and Gaillac in the southwest; Savoie and Jura in the east. These are regions with an unmistakable sense of place, with interesting grape varieties: Reds like Duras, Braucol, Tannat, and Mondeuse; Whites like Petit Manseng, Jacquere, and Savagnin.

U.S. (20% of Our Wine Selection) When you think of Californian wines the first thing to come to mind is Napa Valley. Cabernet Sauvignon flows from every wine section, in every wine shop in the U.S. While Napa produces their fair share of excellent wines there’s more to Californian wines, let alone the U.S.!

Wine regions like Sonoma, west of Napa, Mendocino, to the north, Lodi and the Sierra Foothills to the east, Santa Cruz, Monterey, Paso Robles and Santa Barbara to the south offer amazing wines. We focus on California winemakers that are true to the earth, or “spirit”, of traditional winemaking. Also included in this club are select winemakers from Oregon and Washington, as well as New York, Long Island and Massachusetts.

South America (5% of Our Wine Selection) South America these days is getting a lot of attention due to the popularity of the Malbec grape from Argentina. Originally from the southwestern French region of Cahors, the Malbec varietal produces soft and plummy wines at very attractive prices to U.S. buyers.

Chile is also a force to be reckoned with. Much investment, a lot of it by the French, has been put into the unique soils of the Chilean landscape. Cabernet Sauvignon is the star here, along with the former red Bordeaux variety Carmenere. Carmeneres are similar to Cabernet Franc with soft tannins, juicy red fruit aromas, and herbaceous qualities.

Uruguay is also a major contender on the world stage these days with the grape Tannat, also of French origin. The grape is aptly named “Tannat” because of its generous amount of tannins. The Tannat grape also has the largest amount of resveratrol, a compound found on the skins of red grapes thought to have many health benefits.

Spain (5-10% of Our Wine Selection) The Spanish wine sector has changed considerably in recent years. A food and wine transformation, evolving over the last several years, has made Spain an exciting player on the international stage. Spain is lucky enough to possess its own grape varieties: red varieties such as Tempranillo, Monastrell (Mourvèdre), and white varieties such as Verdejo, Albariño and Godello. As one would expect, we also find the Chardonnay, Sauvignon and Cabernet Sauvignon varieties, but, in most cases, they are used only for assemblage with local varieties.

Spain is also well known for the southern region of Jerez, responsible for the famous Sherry wines and the northeastern region of Penedès, which produces sparkling wines called “Cava.” Aside from the traditional styles and varieties, we also seek out strange and unique grapes like the red Rufete of the Salamanca Mountains and the red Callet variety from the island of Mallorca.

Portugal (5% of Our Wine Selection) Portugal has a long tradition in winemaking. It is a small country that has a great variety of soils and climate, as well as indigeneous wine varietals, allowing a great diversity of wines. In addition, there are several methods of winemaking which have obvious reflex in the wine produced. The predominant amount of Portuguese wines we carry are Port wines from the famous Douro region with a smaller portion of our selection devoted to dry red and white wines from areas such as Vinho Verde, Bairrada and Dão.

Italy (20% of Our Wine Selection) Like France, Italy has been making and producing wine for thousands of years. The entire country, from the “thigh” down to the “boot”, has a long, rich tradition of winemaking. Tuscan areas as Chianti Classico and Brunello di Montalcino, along with Barolo from Piedmont, and Valpolicella from Veneto, make some of the world’s most unique wines. Italy also has many indigenous varieties that have never left the country, making a wine trip there never dull.

Just as in France there are other wonderful regions that deserve recognition. The northern appellations of the Valle d’Aoste, Liguria, Lombardia, Trentino, Friuli and Alto-Adige, along with Piedmont, make up some delicious cool-climate red and white varieties, as well as sparkling wines, some of which rival the famous Champagne. Along with Tuscany, areas such as Emilia-Romagna, Abruzzo, the Marche, Umbria and Lazio make up a diverse cross-section of Sangiovese based wines and the famous Montepulciano grape. The areas of Campania, Basilicata, and Pugila use dense and dark varieties such as Aglianico, Negroamaro and Primitivo. Even the islands of Sicily and Sardinia contribute; Sicily being known for the production of Marsala and the red grape Nero d’Avola; Sardinia for the Spanish influenced varieties of Cannonau, Carignano and Monica.

Austria (5-10% of Our Wine Selection) While Germany’s wines may have your dentist crying “Watch that sugar!” he’d surely have no problem with wine from Austria. Aside from delectable dessert wines from the Burgenland area, Austrian whites are, for the most part, super dry. That includes Rieslings and the pride and joy of Austria; the Gruner Veltliner. Gruner Veltliners, “GruVe” for short, come in many different styles, from bright and crisp, to viscous and syrupy, all while remaining very dry. Austria is also well known for its red varieties: Zweigelt is the most widely planted of them all and produces simple, soft and fruity reds that are akin to France’s Beaujolais grape, the Gamay.

Australia (5% of Our Wine Selection) The big wine that many people associate Australia with is Shiraz. The grape is actually the Syrah grape which originated from France’s Rhone valley. There are many different styles of Australian Shiraz: Rich, robust and fruity from the McLaren Vale and Barossa regions; delicate, subtle, and earthy versions from places like the Hunter Valley and Margaret River.

Australia is not a one-trick pony, however. Other grapes that have made a name for themselves in various areas are white grapes such as Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, and Pinot Gris. Red grapes such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, and even the Spanish Tempranillo flourish as well.

New Zealand (2-3% of Our Wine Selection) Only in the past 15 years or so has New Zealand been a major contender on the international wine scene. This is due to the success of its cash cow, the Sauvignon Blanc grape. It is most well known in the region of Marlborough, however, it is not the only grape that New Zealand does well with. Grapes like Pinot Noir have found a home in the Otago region and grapes like Cabernet, Merlot and Syrah all thrive in the warm climate of Hawkes Bay.

South Africa (2-3% of Our Wine Selection) South Africa has a long history of winemaking, with some wineries producing for over 300 years. Many French varieties do well in South Africa, such as reds from Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Syrah, and whites from Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Chenin Blanc. The most unique grape variety is the red variety Pinotage which is a hybrid of the Pinot Noir and Cinsault varieties.

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