Each popular grape variety has its own aromatic profile, though many (most?) large wine producers tend to homogenize any uniqueness.
When you pay $10 or less for a bottle of wine, the grape variety listed on the front label is probably 75% of what's inside the bottle (by law, it must be at least that amount), but the aroma and flavor don't always conform.
Chardonnay is a good example. It's a grape that has very little distinctiveness. Often, it is as neutral as the winery can make it, as most Americans do not like assertive wine flavors. Bland is good.
Because California's climate is sunny and warm, grapes that produce modestly priced wines ripen quickly. Most grapes do not spend time on the vine developing flavors.
The longer tomatoes ripen on vines, the more their flavors develop. Grapes operate similarly. As a result, cheaper wines tend to be bland. And they sell relatively well, especially to people who do not drink wine regularly.
A good example of a modestly priced wine that is usually fairly simple is cabernet sauvignon. Its natural herbal aromas rarely show up in inexpensive versions.
But a variety that offers a bit more assertiveness and has seen a resurgence in interest lately is cabernet franc. Related to cabernet sauvignon, it was once thought of as a bit too herbaceous.
However, in the last several years, dedicated grape growers have begun taming cabernet franc's forceful flavors. Winemakers have seen benefits in making wine from it that has less astringency than cabernet sauvignon, with a little more charm and pizzazz.
It will not be as easy to find a bottle of cabernet franc as it is to find cabernet sauvignon, but the former is typically more interesting. As many cabernet sauvignons are now similar to one another, cabernet franc offers a dramatic new idea in red wine distinctiveness.
Steven Kent Mirassou was one of the first California wine makers to discover the charms of cabernet franc, and even though that was just 20 years ago, he was still ahead of the curve.
His eponymous winery in Livermore Valley, east of San Francisco, specializes in cabernet franc and his most recent efforts are exceptional. One of those is his La Gamine (see the Wine of the Week).
If you can't find this wine, two French versions may be found in quality wine stores. One is called Chinon (she-nohn). It is typically all cabernet franc without any aging in small barrels. Another is called anjou rouge, also made from the same variety.
Many of these wines can be found between $20 and $30 and are designed specifically to go with red meat dishes.
Wine of the Week: 2023 Steven Kent Cabernet Franc, "La Gamine," Livermore Valley ($35) — The aromas and flavors of this beautiful wine are based around red cherry and fresh plum notes and the tannins are generous and soft. Unlike many cabernet sauvignons that require aging before the astringency reduces, this attractive wine can be consumed sooner.
To find out more about Sonoma County resident Dan Berger and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate webpage at www.creators.com.