How many of you are Wine Century Club members?

I was a late bloomer to the wine scene, but I know that a lot of the Wine Forum folks have a great breadth of tasting experience. Last year I finally hit the 100th varietal mark. How many of you are dedicated enough to track stuff like this?

-- Clark

Hi Clark - do you mean you have tried 100 different varietals?

That is correct, Matilda. Actually, my list currently sits at 107. I know there are some Forum members with much more than that, and I wonder if any of them have reached 200. Here is a sample of some of the less mainstream grape varieties from my list:

Encruzado (Portugal, white)
Amorghiano (Greece, red)
Uva di Troia (Italy, red)
Bonarda (Argentina, red)
Monica (Sardinia, red)
Nero D'Avola (Sicily, red)
Hondarrabi Zuri (Spain, white)

Just FYI, my 100th varietal was Grenache Blanc made by McCrea Cellars in Rainier, WA.

-- Clark

My list is currently at 105 different varieties.

Due to the fact I only add a grape variety to my list when I have a decent tasting note on hand of a wine based predominantly on that grape variety, I'm actually more surprised by the grapes that I don't have than those that I do. So still missing:

Aligoté
Carignan
Dornfelder (not so common, but was very common where I lived in Germany)
Grenache/Garnacha (I've tasted dozens, but they don't catch my fancy, so I don't end up at home with a bottle to drink and take a note on)
Marsanne
Nero D'Avola (I've had numerous delicious glasses, but always in restaurants where I don't take tasting notes)
Parellada and Xarel-Lo (only as parts of cava blends--though I've experienced a still version of one of the two as a varietal, but I don't recall which)
Pedro Ximénez
Pintoage
Portugieser (another one of those German varieties I was surrounded by)
Roussanne
Scheurebe
Semillon
St. Laurent
Tannat
Tocai Fruilano
Touriga Franca and Touriga Nacional (had plenty, but always as parts of mysterious blends)
Trebbiano/Ugni Blanc
Vermentino

How many of you are dedicated enough to track stuff like this?

Not me!

I'm pretty dedicated on the tasting note front, at least for wines consumed at home. But not this.

Sounds interesting though.

My list is currently at 105 different varieties.

Due to the fact I only add a grape variety to my list when I have a decent tasting note on hand of a wine based predominantly on that grape variety

Those are pretty strict rules, no?

So you've pretty much tasted all the grapes in the list above but just not under the right analytical circumstances? Which I guess makes sense if the point of the list is to track grape varieties that you've explored for their own merits.

So you've pretty much tasted all the grapes in the list above but just not under the right analytical circumstances? Which I guess makes sense if the point of the list is to track grape varieties that you've explored for their own merits.

Yeah. For analytical purposes, noting what certain grapes add to blends rather than seeking out certain freakish varietal bottlings is probably more useful--but then again I have discovered niche varietals that do offer distinct charms. Just another source of diversity to ensure I don't bore of this hobby . . .

I've certainly had more than 100 varieties but I haven't signed up for the Century Club but I wish I'd have thought of it.

Their rules aren't strict. Someone on the Wine TV site was boasting of his progress by taking components in a blend. So he had a CnDP, checks with Wikipedia that it could contain 13 varieties and ticks off all 13.

Getting to 100 is easier if you've a long drinking history behind you. If you've just started, don't worry, you'll get there. And if you have an interest in unusual varieties. Some prefer to play variations on a theme of Cabernet or whatever.

Been in Total Wine today in Tampa (55 stores in 10 states) and they have a section titled 'Alternative Reds' and 'Alternative Whites'. Good hunting ground for anyone wanting to tick off off varieties.

Their rules aren't strict. Someone on the Wine TV site was boasting of his progress by taking components in a blend. So he had a CnDP, checks with Wikipedia that it could contain 13 varieties and ticks off all 13.

Where is Lt. Worf when you need him? This person has no honor!!

-- Clark

[Jenise]

I'm sure I'm there Clark, though I don't keep track. I was well along toward the 100 mark when someone posted a list here a few years ago, and I know I add new grapes all the time. Last Friday, in fact, I tasted a sweet muscadine from South Carolina. Pretty scary.

[David M. Bueker]

Back in fall of 2003 I tasted a wine made from the grape Regent. That was #100 for me. The best part was that the grape wasn't even on the list at the time. I don't know if it's on more recent lists. I stopped tracking at about 120, but I haven't had many "new" grapes to me in the last few years.

Hmmmm..I just checked, and I'm at 88 according to Cellar Tracker, but I'm sure there are some other varietals not there I had before I started using CT... so.. I'm close.. very close... and I know I have some unusual varietals awaiting me that I have not had.. like Gringet, Cesanese, Godello, Pineau d'Aunis and Nerello Mascalese. I'm nearly there!!

I've never counted, but if I'm short I could probably go over the top with a few meals at Convivio. But I have tasted everything on Keith's "to do" list except Portugieser

[Jenise]

Hmmmm..I just checked, and I'm at 88 according to Cellar Tracker, but I'm sure there are some other varietals not there I had before I started using CT... so.. I'm close.. very close... and I know I have some unusual varietals awaiting me that I have not had.. like Gringet, Cesanese, Godello, Pineau d'Aunis and Nerello Mascalese. I'm nearly there!!

Did you buy any chance buy any of the Cesanese that Garagiste sold about 4-5 years ago?

Hmmmm..I just checked, and I'm at 88 according to Cellar Tracker, but I'm sure there are some other varietals not there I had before I started using CT... so.. I'm close.. very close... and I know I have some unusual varietals awaiting me that I have not had.. like Gringet, Cesanese, Godello, Pineau d'Aunis and Nerello Mascalese. I'm nearly there!!

Did you buy any chance buy any of the Cesanese that Garagiste sold about 4-5 years ago?

This one? 2005 Campagnia di Ermes Cesanese di Olevano Romano

I keep a detailed wine log and track the different varieties I've had, with the goal to make it to the century club. I'm at 22 - a while to go.

Dave

Back in fall of 2003 I tasted a wine made from the grape Regent. That was #100 for me. The best part was that the grape wasn't even on the list at the time. I don't know if it's on more recent lists. I stopped tracking at about 120, but I haven't had many "new" grapes to me in the last few years.

David, Regent was not on the list I downloaded several years ago. I believe I added 15-20 entries to the list, which was quite extensive to start with.

-- Clark

How many of you are dedicated enough to track stuff like this?

-- Clark

I don't track the numbers of varieties which I have drunk nor the number of appellations but guess that I would be a centenarian in varieties and close to a millenarian in appellations. I am always keen to sample unfamiliar ones. Spain is a particularly rich field as some of Victor's posts attest.

[David M. Bueker]

Spain is a particularly rich field as some of Victor's posts attest.

But all the wines taste the same.

Dale - you never had a chance to drink the Kurt Darting Portugieser Rosé that Terry Theise brought in for several years? It was nice.

German crossings are a great way to pad stats: bacchus, siegerebe, scheurebe, rieslaner, albalonga, dornfelder, huxelrebe, kerner, optima, ortega, cabernet dorsa, cabernet cubin, ehrenfelser, muller-thurgau, faber...

Personally, I find the basis of membership for such a club rather silly. But, it got me curious, so I downloaded the form, marked off everything I have had, and added a few. The tally is: 73 I have had as varietal wines, 18 I have for certain had in blends (and some of those probably as varietal wines outright), and an additional 6 that I can't confirm, but are highly probable given wines I've tasted. 97 total.

As I expected, I haven't cracked 50 yet. May never do so, either.
I can understand the lure of the list ... I'm a birder ... but unless I start actively pursuing different varieties (which I don't think I will) I probably won't make it anywhere near 100!

By free association [spelling?] this wine century club sounds a bit like the "mile high club".

A note by Robin Garr got me interested in the Century Club, but I lost interest after I downloaded the club’s list of varietals. That was a couple of years ago, but at that time there was no mention of Mune, Txori Mahatsa or many other grapes common in Txakoli, let alone the Cesenese someone mentioned in an earlier post, or even Negrette! But I do try a new one whenever I get the chance—Negrette didn’t pan out, nor Cesanese, but Txakoli is great and even Baco Noir (which was on the list) can be very good.

I am a Century Club member and currently working my way to 200. Standing at 146 at the moment..... I'll agree with some that it is a touch silly, but its also kind of fun to be able share the exploration of unique and unusual grape varieties with like minded silly people.... I also think it's a little bit of a cheat to just tick off components in a blend, I do try to make sure the variety I check off is at the very least a majority player in a blended wine.

To respond to MichaelB, the application is set up so that varieties that aren't listed can be added.

Some of the more obscure varieties that I've managed to track down.
Feteasca Negra
Spoletino
Ruché
Coda di Volpe
Gaglioppo
Hondarrabi Zuri
Irsay Oliver
Malagousia