Trying new types of wine is half the fun of finding that special bottle. Getting recommendations from friends and associates is always easier in taking that first step to try something new. With hundreds of different varietals and even more wine regions across the world, it can all seem overwhelming. So from time to time Today's wine will publish recommendations from our Tasting Panel to help you discover that great bottle of wine. First of all, a couple of our favorite varietals as of late are Petit Syrah and Carmenere Both these varietals tend to have bold flavors and and tannins, and the Petit Syrahs are a lovely inky dark color. One of our favorites was one we had in Paso Robles – the San Simeon Petit Syrah from San Antonio Vineyard. Midnight Cellars in Paso Robles was one of our favorite little vineyards – really big powerful wines, but you can only buy them directly from them. We are also Cabernet Franc fans, although they are hard to find, and Aglianico is a really nice Italian grape that we fell in love with in southern Italy – we have found a couple here are are quite good.The Petite Syrah If you like a rich Zinfandel - Petite Syrah is in that family - rich jammy - brambly spice. Like better Zin's Petite Syrah can be dry and formal as well as bold & zesty. Could also say it can tint toward a Syrah or Syrah-Grenache blend - but they'd be more on the formal-dry variant as they can't muster the hearty black-berry flavors found in Petite Syrah . Pinotage is kind of in that family as well. Variants of Zin (not surprising really). The San Simeon was just a great example, dense heavily extracted jammy beast - but with enough tannins to balance it out so it wasn't just a fruit bomb (not that there's anything wrong with that).The CarmenereAs for the Carmenere it has an interesting flavor profile - dark fruit like a big Merlot - but more toasty carmel and wood notes - not sure if they use different oak as well or it's all just the differences in the grape's. hmmmmm, closest to Zins, Petite Syrah's and other more fruit forward styles. We haven't explored enough to determine what role terrior plays as well (practice, practice, practice....). Just a different dark rich red to mix it up! Other RecommendationsThe Aglianico we found to be like Montepulciano's and add a different set of rich and lingering earthy notes to typical Chianti's - This was a nice change-up.If the available wine fund strained one may want to cast a wider net and it will yield some very pleasant results! Big Rioja's or Chilean's like Santa Rita's Medalla Real Gran Reserve (cab and carmenere) taste like the big Napa's of 10-15 years ago - before they all went up market - at $12, $15 or less. We'll keep trying them all because the hunt is half the fun. --- Mike and Mari Beth Petersen
