Lesser Known Red Grapes & Wines

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​Agiorgitiko
Agiorgitiko  (Ah yor yee' ti ko)  is a fragrant red wine grape native to the Peloponnese peninsula of Greece. It is one of the country's most widely planted wine grapes. Agiorgitiko is the only variety permitted in the Nemea appellation and grows well that hot Mediterranean climate. It is a remarkably versatile grape, and is used to make everything from light rosé wines to rich, full-bodied red wines with dark fruit flavors and plush tannins. Barrel maturation in a range of local and imported woods is increasingly used in Greece. The best wines made from this grape are from higher-altitude vineyards of Nemea which allows full ripeness of flavor with enough acidity and structure to keep the wine balanced. At lower altitudes, and with less care taken, Agiorgitiko wines can be flabby and uninspiring, lacking in acidity and character. Agiorgitiko means "St George's Grape", and is probably named for a chapel near Nemea. Agiorgitiko is also called; Aghiorghitiko, Agiorgitieo, Mavro Nemeas, Mavroudi, Nemeas, Saint-George. Common food pairings for Agiorgitiko include; veal stew with onions (stifatho), green-peppercorn steak with rosemary butter and baked vegetables stuffed with lamb.

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​Alicante Bouscher
Alicante is a rare Teinturier red skinned grape variety a grape with red flesh. Its deep color makes it useful for blending with otherwise light red wines. Its intense red color was also useful for stretching the wine during prohibition, in the US, as it could be substantially diluted without detracting from the color. The grape was first cultivated in France in 1866 by Henri Bouschet as a cross of Petit Bouschet and Grenache. Widely planted across the Alentejo wine region in Portugal today, it is frequently expensive eclipsing noble varieties. These top-end wines are prized for their body, dense color and phenolic content. In Chile, the grape is blended with Cabernet Sauvignon and to make concentrated varietal wines. In California, the grape is still grown today in Napa and Sonoma counties. Other areas with notable Alicante Bouschet plantings include Algeria, Israel and parts of central and southern Italy.
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​Blaufrankisch/Lemberger/Kékfrankos
Blaufrankisch (aka Lemberger (Germany) & Kékfrankos (Hungary) is a red wine grape grown widely in Austria, Hungary, and somewhat in Germany, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Croatia and in the United States, most notably in New York's Finger Lakes but also in various parts of Washington, California, Michigan, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Colorado. Blaufrankisch is the second most popular red-wine variety in Austria behind Zweigelt. It has an important role in Hungary's most famous red wine, Egri Bikaver, known as Bull's Blood.
Its wines which are typically intensely colored, medium-bodied reds with brooding, black-fruit flavors and a hint of peppery spice fruit-forward profile with aromas of spiced black cherries typically rich in tannin and may have a pronounced spicy character.
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​Bobal 
Bobal is a red dark-skinned wine grape variety native to southeast Spain. It is one of Spain's most planted grape varietal.  Bobal wines are dense and chewy with characters of chocolate and dried berries. Outside Spain, Bobal is grown in small amounts in the Languedoc Roussillon region of France and the Italian island of Sardinia, where it is known as Bovale or Nieddera. Its name is derived from the Latin word bovale meaning "bull" and refers to the resemblance the grape bunches have to a bull’s head. High levels of acidity in the grape make Bobal a versatile variety. it is used to make deeply colored rosé wines and has even been used to produce sparkling wine. 

​Charbono/Bonarda/Deuce Noir
Charbono aka  Bonarda, aka Douce Noir (not the same grape as Bonarda from Italy) produces fruity, smooth red wines. It was originally from the Savoie region in eastern France. It was known as Corbeau de Savoie in its native France, and as Douce Noire (sweet black) in Savoie.  It is now planted in Napa Valley but is most important in Argentina (Bonarda), where it is second only to Malbec in size of plantings. The variety's wines are generally medium bodied with high acidity and berry fruit aromas with some smoky characteristics.  It is most notable for its high acidity accompanied by rich fruit complexity, structured tannins and some sweet notes of spice.
Argentinian Bonarda wines are usually made for early consumption while Californian Charbono wines can usually benefit from bottle aging. 
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​Castelão/Periquita/João de Santarém
Castelão, aka Periquita, aka João de Santarém, is a red wine grape found primarily in the southern coastal regions but is grown all over Portugal. The name is derived from the Portuguese term for parakeet. It produces a wine that can be harshly tannic in its youth but softens as it ages. In the Algarve wine region, it is often blended with Negra Mole to produce a wine with less aging potential but less harsh in its youth. Castelão also is sometimes used in Port wine production.
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​Counoise
Counoise is a dark-skinned red wine grape grown primarily in the Rhône Valley region of France. It is also grown in California and Washington State. It adds a peppery note and good acidity to a blended red wine, but does not have much depth of color or tannin. Counoise is one of the grapes permitted into the blend of Châteauneuf-du-Pape wine. But it is used sparingly with usually less than about 5% of it in their blends.
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​Dão Region Red Wine Blends
Dão is one of Portugal's most prominent red wine regions, located just south of the famous Douro Valley. The top Dão wines are now some of the most highly rated in Europe. The finest wines today are deep reds blends made from Tinta Roriz, Touriga Nacional and Touriga Nacional. The Dão, has granite soil that produces wines that are driven by minerality and structure. The best examples firm tannins that allows them to age for 10–15 years or more. 
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​Dornfilder
Dornfilder is one of Germany’s most popular man made red grapes. It was developed in the 1950’s in Württemberg. Dornfelder is very versatile grape that can be made into youthful, fresh, light-bodied, fruit forward red wine or more austere fairly full body profile framed by oak and aged. Highly pigmented with thick black skins, it has intense color and higher acidity. Originally it was used as a key blending grape to amplify color in Germany’s paler red wines, today is often a standalone variety. Flavors of black fruit dominate, along with remarkable floral characteristics, medium to full-bodied, oak-aged versions add warm baking spice flavors. 
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​Gross Verdot
A red grape originally grown in Bordeaux, France. It has all but disappeared from Bordeaux but is still produced in small amounts in Chile, Argentina and in California.
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​Pelaverga
Pelaverga (aka Pelaverga Piccolo) is a rare red grape from the hills of Piedmont in Northwestern Italy. It is also known by many other names, including Carola, Cari, Fra Germano and Taddone. Pelaverga has two last declining regions of production in the Verduno Pelaverga and Colline Saluzzesi DOCs of Piedmont's Cuneo province. Here it is used to make pale-colored wines with a distinctive strawberry aroma often common at the fruitier, more fragrant end of the Pinot Noir wine spectrum. These are also often made as sparkling wines and reveal an alternative, rather light-hearted side of Piedmontese wine. Pelaverga pairs well with foods such as Prosciutto and melon, grilled chicken salad with strawberries and balsamic vinegar and beef carpaccio.
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​Pinotage
Pinotage is a red grape that is South Africa's signature variety. It was bred there in 1925 as a cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsaut. It typically produces deep red wines with smoky, bramble and earthy flavors, sometimes with notes of bananas and tropical fruit, but has been criticized for sometimes smelling of burnt rubber. But there are some stellar producers of a varietal wine made from Pinotage in California, e.g. J Wines & Loma Prieta.
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​Portugieser
Blauer Portugieser is a red Austrian, Slovenian and German wine grape found primarily in the Rheinhessen, Pfalz and wine regions of Lower Austria and Slovenia. It is also one of the permitted grapes in the Hungarian wine Egri Bikavér. This fruitful, early-ripening grape yields mild and light wines. Portugieser is the third most planted grape in Germany.
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​Rapsani Red Blends
The Greek Rapsani wine zone is located on the eastern slopes of Mount Olympus, the highest Greek mountain in northern part of the country. Traditionally, the PDO Rapsani dry red blend includes 3 indigenous red grape varieties; Xinomavro, Krassato, Stavroto (Ambelakiotiko) with approximately 1/3 each. Wines which have been aged for 2 years, spending a minimum of 12 months in oak barrels and 6 months in the bottle, are entitled to include the term “Selected” or “Réserve” on their label. If the aging period is 4 years or more, with at least 18 months in oak barrels and 18 months in the bottle, the wines can be indicated as “Specially Selected” or “Grande Réserve”.
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​Refosco
Refosco one of Italy’s most under-celebrated red grapes. It offers rich flavors and freshness  and a relatively low alcohol red.  The name comes from the combination of ‘rasp’ and ‘fosco’ that in the Venetian and Friuli dialects mean respectively grape and dark.  The Refosco wines from Italy's Colli Orientali D.O.C. are often rated at the best examples. Genetically, it’s also the father of the Veneto’s Corvina grape used to make Amarone. This medium weight wine reveals blackberry and black cherry fruit on the nose and palate with fine, firm tannins on a long finish.  The traditional wines produced from this varietal can be quite powerful and high in tannins, with a deep violet color and a slight bitterness on the finish. On the palate, ripe black currants, wild berries and dark plum flavors.  Well-made Refosco wines can age well, and after a period of up to 10 years, and can develop a floral character to the aroma and finish.
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​Ruché
Ruché is a red Italian grape from the Piedmont region. It is largely used in making Ruché di Castagnole Monferrato , a small production red varietal wine which was granted Denominazione di Origine Controllata (DOCG) status by presidential decree on October 22, 1987, and was granted the more prestigious Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG) status in 2010. It is a very small production area and one of the lowest production varietal wines in Italy.  It has been grown in the area for at least one hundred years but has only recently been marketed and consumed outside of the immediate vicinity of its production. Ruché di Castagnole Monferrato tends to be medium bodied with notes of pepper and wild berries and floral aromas. The wine is often characterized by moderate acidity and soft tannins. In the Piedmont region it is often paired with slow-cooked beef, northern Italian cheeses and mushrooms.
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​St. Laurent
St. Laurent is a red grape variety which likely originated from in Austria. This small berried vine yields cherry flavored wines that have been compared to a deeper colored, beefier version of Pinot Noir. Its lighter body and notable, yet soft tannins pairs well with richly flavored foods such as roast duck, mushroom risotto and cured meats.
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​Saint Macaire
A rare red grape originally grown on the right bank of the River Garonne, south of Bordeaux and is named for the medieval town of Saint Macaire. It's makes a soft red wine which was very popular especially with the English in the 12th century, who at the time were in control of much of Aquitaine region of France including Bordeaux. It was used in several of the big Bordeaux house’s wines until its demise from the plague. It has since resurfaced in California on Howell Mountain and in Australia where the Westend Winery makes a 100% Saint Macaire wine.
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​Schiava/Trollinger
Trollinger (aka Schiava, aka Vernatsch) is a red German/Italian wine grape that was likely first originally cultivated in the wine regions of Alto Adige and Trentino Italy, but today is almost exclusively cultivated on steep, sunny locations in the Württemberg wine region of Baden-Württemberg Germany. It is primarily known under the synonyms Trollinger in Germany, Vernatsch in South Tyrol and Schiava in other Italian regions. Trollinger grapes have moderate acidity and tend to produce light bodied wines with fruity strawberry and subtle smoky notes.
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​Schioppettino
Schioppettino is a dark-skinned grape variety native to Friuli-Venezia Giulia region in the far northeastern corner of Italy. Most Schioppettino wines are medium-bodied, deeply-colored, aromatic on the nose (violets and red berries) and spicy to the palate (peppery, earthy). Schioppettino is most often produced as a dry red wine, but can also be made into sparkling spumante versions, a local specialty of Friuli.
Outside Italy, Schioppettino is almost entirely unknown. However a tiny patch of Schioppettino vines (less than an acre) is planted in California's Russian River Valley. They belong to the Holdredge Family, who use the grapes most often for blending into other wines, but occasionally to produce varietal Schioppettino wines.

​Sousão/ Souzao/Tinto  Nacional / Vinhão
Sousão aka Souzao aka Tinto Nacional, is a red wine grape that is mostly recognized for its use in the production of port wines but is also used as to make dry table wines. It’s a dark-skinned red wine grape originally from the Iberian Peninsula.  It is also responsible for the production of various red Vinho Verde wines. It hails mostly from the Port region of Portugal and is considered as one of the most sought after wines in that particular region. While originating in the regions of Minho, it's primarily grown in California, Australia, South Africs, Galicia Spain as well as Douro. It is also known as Tinto Nacional, Souson, Tinto Antigo, Negrao, NegraoPe de Perdiz, Espadeiro da Tinta, EspadeiroPreto, EspadeiroBasto, Tinto da Parada, Sousao and Pinta Femea.
The wines produced from this grape are deeply colored and considered to be very coarse and raisiny in taste. But, this grape grows both in white as well as red colors. Its wines have a good level of acidity and the potential for high alcohol level. They are low in tannins and satiny smooth in texture. These wines are commonly paired with the food items such as grilled sardines, chicken in spicy tomato sauce, and steak sandwiches with caramelized onions.
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​Terret
​Terret is an ancient Vitis vinifera grape  vine that, mutated over the course of thousands of years into grape varieties of several colors but mostly know for its red variety. It originated and still grows in the Languedoc-Roussillon region of southern France.

​Valdiguié
Valdiguié is a red wine grape  which makes soft and vibrant  easy drinking fruity wines somewhat much like lighter Pinot Noir. It often has flavors of candied licorice, dried raspberry, and cedar and vanilla spice  with some of black cherry, ripe pomegranate, and tones of nutmeg. It is grown primarily in the Languedoc-Roussillon region of southern France, where it is generally known by the alias Gros Auxerrois. In California it has been known as Napa Gamay. Until 1980 Napa Gamay was believed to be the Gamay of Beaujolais, but following genetic analysis the name 'Napa Gamay' has been banned from U.S. wine labels since January 1999. Confusingly, both the Pinot noir clone Gamay Beaujolais and 'Napa Gamay' could be labelled 'Gamay Beaujolais', a name banned on labels from April 2007.
Source: Wikipedia

​Vespolina
Vespolina is a rare Italian red wine grape grown in the Piedmonte and Lombardy region. It has Nebbiolo's spicy characteristics, although its tannins tend to be softer. As a result, Vespolina is used to help mellow youthful Nebbiolo-based wines and lift the blend's aromatics with hints of wild flowers, mushrooms and green tea leaves. 

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​Zweigelt
Zweigelt is a red wine grape variety which was developed in Austria. It was a cross between St. Laurent and Blaufränkisch grapes. It is now the most widely grown in Austria with some plantings in Washington State, Canada, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Zweigelt wines have an exotic spice and floral character, predominantly aromas of cinnamon and violets, that made them distinctive. Zweigelt is also known as Rotburger, Zweigeltrebe, and Blauer.