Raj Parr, a winemaker in California, is on a mission to revive the state’s forgotten vines, including the rare alicante bouschet. This grape, known for its dramatic hue, was largely ripped out post-Prohibition, but Parr is dedicated to honoring the state’s history by using it in his Scythians Red wine. He sources the alicante bouschet from an abandoned plot near Ontario airport, where the leaves shake when planes pass overhead.
Alicante bouschet is unusual in the context of classic European grapes, but it belongs to the Vitis riparia species, native to America. These grapes are generally dismissed for winemaking due to their sour taste, but they are hardy and disease-resistant. Scientists are now creating hybrids of Vitis vinifera and riparia to take advantage of these qualities.
One such hybrid is frontenac, introduced in 1996 by grape breeder Peter Hemstad as part of the University of Minnesota’s cold-hardy fruit breeding program. Frontenac retains riparia’s intense pigmentation and disease resistance, making it foundational in the birth of the organic wine scene in the northeast. Deirdre Heekin, a natural wine producer in Vermont, uses frontenac in her Loups-Garoux wine, harvesting the grapes when half the bunch is raisinated to concentrate the sugar content.
Another unique grape making waves is saperavi, known for producing dark wines often referred to as “black wine.” This ancient variety has been thriving in New York’s Finger Lakes region since the ’60s. Lasha Tsatava, beverage director at a Georgian restaurant in NYC, describes saperavi as “like Formula One,” highlighting its versatility in producing different styles of wine.
Tsatava is also a co-founder of Saperica, a nonprofit dedicated to spreading awareness of Georgian food and wine. The organization hosts an annual Saperavi Festival in New York, showcasing wines from American and Georgian wineries. Tsatava hopes that saperavi will become a signature wine of the Finger Lakes region in the coming years, alongside riesling.
Through their dedication to forgotten vines and unique grape varieties, winemakers like Raj Parr and Lasha Tsatava are reshaping the wine industry and bringing new flavors to the forefront.
