About four years ago when I had this strange thought of owning my own wine shop I came across a unique poster on the Internet. Wine information, grape varietals, tasting notes, ‘also known as’ names, size/weight/acidity of each grape … this could have been the The Wine Bible (oops, already have a book with that name in stock) so let’s call it the wine grape varietal table and display it as if we were looking at the periodic table of elements: What a great idea!
Being a sucker for kitschy marketing I grabbed one and had it framed … as the wine shop concept came to fruition I figured why not hang it on the wall near our tasting table (Another good idea)! Of course, when you have a stellar set of guests who frequent your shop you are eventually going to get the question: ‘how can I get one of those for myself?’ So I contact the Delong’s and asked that very question – They were more than pleased to help us out and get them in the shop for the same price as they sold them on the Internet (Click here to order yours).
So that’s how the poster got in to our shop and how we came to be one of the very few local retailers of such a creative idea.
Now the hard part – How to join The Century Club?
The Century Club is a select group of oenophile’s that have actually allowed themselves the opportunity to try wines other than Riesling, Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Merlot and Cabernet (Sure there are lot of you out there but how many of you dare to join ‘The Club?’). So I figured: I try lots of wines each week; some I like and some I do not; some that are way overpriced for the juice and some that we cannot live without (even if my competitor has them up or down the street). How many have I really tried (that’s another entry on being a wine guy)? It is safe to say we try lots of wines each week! But The Century Club; now there is a way to actually expand my horizons and see what I have sampled; why and when. So I gave it a shot.
I downloaded the list in the spring of 2006 and began my journey. Here are a few snippets of the adventure leading to the completion of sampling 100 different varietals:
- Hondarribi Zuri (Thanks to Bernie Lee/Premier Cru for this one) – Never heard of it, let alone tried it until one of my wine reps. brought a bottle of white (Zuri vs. Beltza – Red) by the shop. What a pleasant surprise on smelling and sipping this Dr. Suess-sounding grape! Think Vino Verde meets Vouvray – great with lighter foods, fish and salads. Traditionally, a Spanish varietal (I cannot find it from anywhere but the Basque region of Spain). Not a ton of producers make this wine (at least sold in Missouri) so you may have to look long and hard for your next bottle!
- Refosco (Thanks to a guest from St. Joseph for asking about this one!) Tried it once … never really carried any in the store but maybe someday when the Euro comes back to an appropriate exchange rate with the dollar. Italian varietal with some decent potential.
- Norton ... Ahhhh … Missouri. Could this be the State Grape? I have had many, maybe too many but every once in a while you get a winner. Try Adam Puchta and Jowler Creeks’ Nort!
- Corvina (Thanks to a pretty winemaker from Italy) Typically found in a Valpolicella or Amarone from Italy (I haven’t seen it anywhere else). As you know my affinity for great Italians (their wines too!)
- Tinta Roriz (Thanks to the Portuguese) Maybe it’s just my love of Europeans (and their wines too) that led me to bring in some Portuguese wines. We still have our same 2001 Douro and it continues to drink like a champ!
- Sylvaner (Thanks to Dr. Heinrich Staecker for schlepping this back from Germany) This one actually happened on purpose and by accident at the same time! Sylvaner is a variety of white wine grapes grown in the Alsace region of France and Germany. It is best known as a component of Liebfraumilch and production boomed in the 1970s to the detriment of quality. On the other hand it is one of Alsace's five 'noble grapes', although its first Grand Cru vineyard was only designated in 2006, several decades after the other four varieties. Enough with the Wikipedia definition – being German, white and noble you might think sweet. You would be wrong! Good fruit, and a hint of citrus in a very unique bottle. I would place it on the front wall near the Gewurztraminer and Vouvray – Fruity sweet but not sugary sweet. The good doctor had heard our discussion and made sure he brought one back for me to try and complete my Century Club list!
And so that smuggled bottle of an international varietal made number 100 for me – That’s a lot of wine! With that last sip of Sylvaner I completed my journey of sampling 100 great varietals and I was on my way to becoming a member of “The Club.” According to the Web site (as of 2/18/2007), I am one of three (3) members in Missouri; one of 279 in the United States and one of 364 in the world to have completed the membership (Click here for the Century Club Web site).
Can you join me in The Century Club? Give me a shout if you have any questions or need a form to begin your own journey!
Cheers, L’chaim and Salud!
Michael
