Following 2nd best varietal post, what is your favourite varietal name?

I've always liked the name of the varietal Zibibbo. Anyone else with favourite wine varietal names?

"Vitovska" here.

And I'm fascinated at the moment with "Syrah/Shiraz" and all of the variants -- and the history of the variants in France, England, US and Australia/New Zealand.

I am always a bit amused by the Portuguese grape variety Esgana cão which means "dog strangler" - a name reflecting its monstrously high acidity.

-O-

While common, I love the way "Chardonnay" rolls off the tongue.

Scheurebe and Chasselas are favorites of mine.

[Robin Garr]

I am always a bit amused by the Portuguese grape variety Esgana cão which means "dog strangler" - a name reflecting its monstrously high acidity.

Paul B, how did you get Otto's password?

[Robin Garr]

There are just so many great ones! Coda di Volpe ("Fox's Tail") from Southern Italy ... Ull de Llebre ("Hare's Eye"), Catalunya's name for Tempranillo ... and the always memorable Friuli red, Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso ("Refosco with the Red Stem"), or, in vowel-impaired Slovenia, Refosk.

You've got to love all the "X" wines, just on principle, too. Xarel-lo from Spain and Xynisteri[/i] and Xynomavro from Greece ...

Bastardo

Paul B, how did you get Otto's password?

Don't get it! Care to explain?

[David M. Bueker]

Scheurebe is cool, but my new favorite name is Fer Servadou.

I like saying Scheurebe, but it's when I offer Grignolino to someone that I feel truly au courant!

Ploussard

[David M. Bueker]

Sigerrebe ain't so bad...

I like any variety's name that causes people's eyes to glaze over.

I like to say Auxerrois too. And Reichensteiner (if only the wine wasn't scheiße.)

Scheurebe is cool, but my new favorite name is Fer Servadou.

Another cool Sud-Ouest vine is Abouriou. And in Jura, Savagnin is also a useful 'confuser' vine because of the similiar spelling to Sauvignon. I have a feeling this thread will soon get out of control...

Sigerrebe ain't so bad...

I second this one. But, I thought the spelling was Siegerrebe.

-- Clark

So why can't the best varietal also have the best name? Pinot Noir. Pronounce it correctly and it is so sensual.

[Robin Garr]

Paul B, how did you get Otto's password?

Don't get it! Care to explain?

Sorry, Otto ... I was just teasing. Celebrating an extremely obscure grape that creates a wine with a flavor profile right out of Leopold von Sacher-Masoch is sort of a Paul B specialty ...

Zindandel. As Willie Gluckstern observed, it sounds like "sin from hell."

Zierfandler and Rotgipfler roll right off the lips.

Love the Greek varietal names, which are nearly unpronounceable
for non Greek-speakers:

Xynomavro
Moschofilero
Agiorgitiko
Assyrtiko

I've always thought that Alicante Bosche rolled off the tongue nicely.

Assyrtiko is not that bad to pronounce as the others and I love the aromatic whites that it produces along with the VinSanto's that they produce on Santorini. Only really started liking this varietal after visiting Santorini this year....seems like so long ago....

I've always thought that Alicante Bosche rolled off the tongue nicely.

Errr. Isn't that Alicante Bouchet?
My favorite name is probably Crljenak Kaštelanski (Croatian Zinfandel), not least of which because it sounds like someone who played linebacker for the '52 Chicago Bears.

Mark Lipton