It's almost June - what shall we Focus on?

[David M. Bueker]

Rose?

Loire whites?

Other thoughts?

Are we doing niche wines this month? Didn't we decide on Himalayan goat milk wines? If not, how about the Jura?

How about Southern Italian reds and whites?

[Robin Garr]

Are we doing niche wines this month? Didn't we decide on Himalayan goat milk wines? If not, how about the Jura?

I won't utter a thunderous "NO!" but in general I'm not eager to go with niche wines for the monthly Wine Focus, as they can be very hard for some people to find.

Or, Salil, are you thinking in terms of a "Wine Century Club" month when everyone is invited to bring in an offbeat/rare/unusual variety or blend, with no requirement that all match a common variety or style?

[Robin Garr]

Rose?

That's seasonal, but maybe it's just the 90-plus heat we're expecting all week doing the talking.

How about hybrids like Siegreebe/Scheurebe/Ortega/Huxelerebe/Lemberger/Norton/Vidal. Well, you get the picture?

[David M. Bueker]

IIRC, when we had the dust up about Alsace we decided to do one "niche" topic per quarter.

IIRC, when we had the dust up about Alsace we decided to do one "niche" topic per quarter.

How about going mainstream and doing Hondurribi Zuri?

I'm on a roll tonight,
Mark Lipton

[Robin Garr]

IIRC, when we had the dust up about Alsace we decided to do one "niche" topic per quarter.

How about going mainstream and doing Hondurribi Zuri?

I'm on a roll tonight,
Mark Lipton

I still like the idea of Himalayan Goat Wine.

Okay, I won't resist a Niche Month, but do hope we'll not go so nichey that few can find the subject wine.

[David M. Bueker]

Do not go nichely into that good wine.

Why not the Wine Century Club? It's a chance for all those niche items to shine.

Loire whites gets my vote. That is for sure!!

[Robin Garr]

Do not go nichely into that good wine.

Why not the Wine Century Club? It's a chance for all those niche items to shine.

I like it! Of course Wine Century Club is a real organization, mostly virtual, run by my buddies Steve and Deborah De Long. If we use that theme, I would suggest we link it to their Website, http://www.winecentury.com/about.html .

But I'm all for it ... I'm a charter member of the club!

I am always happy to go with Loire whites.

I doubt if I can think of 100 grape varieties, let alone claim to have drunk them even in a blend. I think that something interesting can be woven round this theme.

[Robin Garr]

I doubt if I can think of 100 grape varieties, let alone claim to have drunk them even in a blend. I think that something interesting can be woven round this theme.

As I understand it, "Wine Century Club" as a Focus topic is simply an occasion for us to try, and report on, the kind of offbeat, unusual varieties that would never be suitable for a regular Focus - stretch out and expand our boundaries a bit. I for one am certainly not planning to taste 100 wines in this month or any other!

(I have tasted a wine, by the way, made as an annual fund-raiser for children's programs by the wine makers of Cormons in Friuli, which incorporates about 500 varieties into a single wine. Curiously, the predominant aroma is Muscat, which perhaps tells us something about the dominating character of that grape.)

[David M. Bueker]

So how about "Wines of a Century" as June, then we move on to Loire whites for July?

[Robin Garr]

So how about "Wines of a Century" as June, then we move on to Loire whites for July?

That'll work! No need to alter the "Wine Century Club" title, though. As long as we're going to pay homage to Steve De Long's concept, might as well use the label. He won't mind, as long as we link and promote.

[David M. Bueker]

So how about "Wines of a Century" as June, then we move on to Loire whites for July?

That'll work! No need to alter the "Wine Century Club" title, though. As long as we're going to pay homage to Steve De Long's concept, might as well use the label. He won't mind, as long as we link and promote.

Great. We can also provide a direct link to the list. I need to re-do my Wine Century Club list. I had it all filled out (over 125, including several that were not on the pre-printed list), but can't find it since we packed up everything to have the floors re-done.

[Robin Garr]

[Great. We can also provide a direct link to the list.

Here's the whole megillah ...

About the Wine Century Club
http://www.delongwine.com/century.php

Direct link to application form/varieties list
http://www.delongwine.com/Application.pdf

Wine Century Club Blog:
http://www.winecentury.com/

Wine Grape Varietal Table (sales through this link benefit WineLoversPage.com and WLDG):
http://www.delongwine.com/wgvt.php?PARTNER=WLP

The 185 varieties listed on the club application. (Of course, there is always "other".)

Agiorgitiko
Aglianico
Airén
Albariño
Aleatico
Alfrocheiro
Alicante Bouchet
Aligoté
Arinto
Arneis
Arvine
Assyrtiko
Auxerrois
Avesso
Bacchus
Baco Noir
Baga
Barbera
Bical
Blaufränkisch
Bobal
Bombino Bianco
Bonarda
Bourboulenc
Brachetto
Bual
Cabernet Franc
Cabernet Sauvignon
Canaiolo
Carignan
Carmenère
Castelão
Catarratto
Catawba
Charbono
Chardonnay
Chasselas
Chenin Blanc
Cinsaut
Clairette
Coda di Volpe
Colombard
Concord
Cortese
Corvina
Counoise
Cserzegi Fuszeres
De Chaunac
Delaware
Dolcetto
Dornfelder
Erbaluce
Falanghina
Fer
Feteasca Alba
Fiano
Folle Blanc
Frappato
Freisa
Friulano
Furmint
Gaglioppo
Gamay
Garganega
Gewürztraminer
Godello
Graciano
Grechetto
Greco
Grenache/Garnacha
Grenache Blanc
Grignolino
Grolleau
Gros Manseng
Grüner Veltliner
Hárslevelü
Hondarrabi Zuri
Inzolia
Irsay Oliver
Kadarka
Kerner
Lagrein
Lambrusco
Len de L'el
Lladoner Pelut
Loureiro
Macabeo
Malagousia
Malbec
Malvasia
Malvasia Nera
Maréchal Foch
Marsanne
Marzemino
Mauzac
Mavrodapne
Melon de Bourgogne
Merlot
Meunier
Molinara
Monica
Montepulciano
Mourvèdre
Müller Thurgau
Muscadelle
Muscat Blanc
Muscat of Alexandria
Muscat Ottonel
Nebbiolo
Negroamaro
Nerello Mascalese
Nero D'Avola
Niagara
Norton
Palomino
Parellada
Pedro Ximénez
Petite Arvine
Petit Manseng
Petit Verdot
Petite Sirah
Picpoul Blanc
Picpoul Noir
Piedirosso
Pigato
Pignolo
Pineau D'Aunis
Pinot Blanc
Pinot Gris
Pinot Noir
Pinotage
Plavac Mali
Portugieser
Prosecco
Refosco
Roditis
Riesling
Rkatsiteli
Rondinella
Roussanne
Ruby Cabernet
Ruché
Sagrantino
Sangiovese
Saperavi
Sauvignon Blanc
Savagnin
Savatiano
Scheurebe
Schiava
Schioppettino
Schönburger
Semillon
Sercial
Seyval Blanc
Silvaner
St. Laurent
Syrah/Shiraz
Tannat
Tempranillo
Teroldego
Tinta Amerela
Tinta Barroca
Tinta Negra Mole
Tinto Cão
Torrontés
Touriga Franca
Touriga Nacional
Trebbiano/Ugni Blanc
Uva di Troia
Valdiguié
Verdejo
Verdelho
Verdicchio
Vermentino
Vernaccia
Vidal
Vignoles
Vilana
Viognier
Welschriesling
Xarel-Lo
Xynomavro
Zinfandel/Primitivo
Zweigelt

I like the Wine Century since it will encourage me to continue.

Given the weather today a focus on wines that go with metal melting heat might be good too.

[David M. Bueker]

Given the weather today a focus on wines that go with metal melting heat might be good too.

Maybe the rapture did happen, and we are slowly migrating downward to hell.

Given the weather today a focus on wines that go with metal melting heat might be good too.

Maybe the rapture did happen, and we are slowly migrating downward to hell.

At today's temps, I'd believe it.

I don't see Huxelrebe on the list. Is it an acceptable variety for June focus?

[David M. Bueker]

I don't see Huxelrebe on the list. Is it an acceptable variety for June focus?

Of course. Even the Wine Century Club sheet has blank lines for grapes they don't have pre-listed. Huxelrebe is one, Regent is another. Then there's Ehrenfelser, Siegerrebe, Ortega, Albalonga, etc. Heck, even Rieslaner is missing!

I don't see Huxelrebe on the list. Is it an acceptable variety for June focus?

Of course. Even the Wine Century Club sheet has blank lines for grapes they don't have pre-listed. Huxelrebe is one, Regent is another. Then there's Ehrenfelser, Siegerrebe, Ortega, Albalonga, etc. Heck, even Rieslaner is missing!

And no Mencía? I mean sure, I can see leaving out Bogdanuša or Chardonel, but Moschofilero? Really? Žlahtina, Acolon, Cabernet Cubin, sure, but no Chambourcin? For diacritical reasons alone, I could see leaving Parč and Pošip off the list, but Romorantin?

Maybe someone oughta start a 700 Club?