Next Big Grape?

Malbec, syrah, tempranillo or petite sirah? What will be the wine worlds next big red wine? Will chardonnay continue to dominate the white wine world or will viognier show itself as a real contender to win over white wine palettes? And which will be the wine that puts Douglas County on the wine map and becomes synonymous with the Umpqua Valley just as pinot noir has become synonymous with the Willamette Valley?

As it is in any industry, the wine industry has trends, styles and yes even fads. Trying to predict the next popular wine is difficult. Even if we knew for sure which wine was going to take the masses wine palettes by storm, not every grape grows well in every wine region so there is so much more than just popularity to consider.

Take for instance the Umpqua Valley. The diversity of our topography and climates allows us to grow many different grape varieties well and to make so many great wines.

Tempranillo an early ripening grape does extremely well here and many think this will be the grape we become known for. Syrah does very well here too. Our local climates more closely resemble parts of France so our syrahs are more layered and complex then those produced in hotter wine growing regions like parts of California and Australia. Most of us would not include zinfandel on our list of the Umpqua Valley's most notable contribution to wine but it is one of the longest planted grape varietals in the region and can do very well in warmer years. Petite sirah is not a well known grape variety here either but for those of us who know it and love it there are times when nothing else will do. And yes we can make a stunning petite sirah as well as a luscious zinfandel. Just visit HillCrest Vineyards and try their “Amorone” style zin and their “Gabor” made from petite sirah grown in the Umpqua Valley. Malbec is not at all prolifically grown here but Abacela Winery has been making a stand alone malbec for a number of years from fruit grown right here and has such a huge fan base for their malbec that I sometimes wonder if it even rivals their number of tempranillo fans. I predict you will see more malbec planted here and more wineries experimenting with this grape.

For those of us who are tired of chardonnay, we are so lucky to live here. We can make tremendous chardonnay that is so different from what we are all used to drinking from California. Now that I have had really great chardonnay, I for one would not have a problem if chardonnay never went out of style. But we do other beautiful whites too. Riesling is an exceptional wine when grown and made correctly and can be enjoyed bone dry, off dry or even sweet. Viognier is becoming a popular grape and we have several producers of this Rhone varietal that know how to do it right.

The wine worlds next big wine remains to be seen. As a wine region in its infancy, the Umpqua Valley may yet to have even considered the varietal that will become our signature grape. It may take decades or perhaps even centuries before we get it figured out. And just think of all the great wines we will be drinking as we try new things and experiment with different wines. As it is with life it is with wine. It is all about the journey.