Montepulciano Muscat Red Rhone Blend Sauvignon Blanc
Montepulciano grapes are one of the most widely cultivated varietals in Italy, with vines growing in twenty of Italy's ninety five provinces. This varietal is renowned for producing high yields, making it popular with vintners looking for a relatively easy varietal to grow. Whilst the grapes tend to have a low skin to juice ratio, the skins themselves are remarkably high in tannins with a lot of pigmentation, which means they often produce rather well bodied wines with a beautiful deep, dark color The wines of Montepulciano grapes are most commonly associated with soft, rounded characteristics, with plenty of juicy, plummy flavors The wines are known for being very smooth and drinkable, and easy to match with a wide range of foods.
One of the most widely grown and easily recognized wine grape varietals in the world is the Muscat, an ancient grape with an exceptional amount of versatility. For centuries, Muscat varietal grapes have been used all over Europe for the production of wonderfully fruity wines of many different shades and colors, which, with their strong 'grapey' flavor have come to be known as a quintessential fine wine grape. Their relatively high acidity also means they are ideal for the production of sparkling wines, and the fizzy Muscat wines of Italy are widely agreed to be amongst the best in the world. In more recent years, New World countries have shown a huge amount of flair when it comes to the Muscat grape, and have had plenty of success in allowing its natural and vibrant character to come through in the bottle.
The green skinned grapes of the Sauvignon Blanc varietal had their origins in Southern France, where they are still widely grown and used for many of the excellent young and aged white wines the region is famous for. Today, however, they are grown in almost every wine producing country in the world, and are widely revered for their fresh and grassy flavors, full of tropical notes and refreshing, zesty character. Sauvignon Blanc grapes thrive best in moderate climates, and ripen relatively early in the year. This has made them a favorite for many wineries in the New World, where they can still produce healthy and high yields in the earlier part of the summer before the temperatures become too hot. Too much heat has a massively adverse effect on Sauvignon Blanc, as the grapes become dull in their flavor, and the wine produced from them loses all its unique character and high points. As such, Sauvignon Blanc farmers have had a lot of trouble from global warming and climate change, as they are being forced to harvest their crops increasingly earlier in the year when it is cool enough to do so.