ADVERTISING: Advertorial — Changing up the routine: Funky, unique grape varietals you must try

Looking to shake up your usual wine routine? Here at The Dinner Party, we're lucky to have access to intriguing and eye-opening wines made from unique and obscure grapes that will tickle (and sometimes straight-up confuse) your tastebuds. As a self-proclaimed wine enthusiast, I'm always on the hunt for bottles made from grapes that are off the beaten path and I’m excited to share a few of the interesting ones I’ve come across recently.

One of my newest discoveries is the 2021 Rezabal Txakoli White from the Basque region of Spain. This wine, made from the indigenous Hondarrabi Zuri grape, produces a lightly effervescent white wine with briny minerality and flavors of citrus, green apple, and lime. In Basque country, this wine is a principal part of their culture. Locals often enjoy Txakoli in wide tumblers poured from a height to increase the natural effervescence. The wines are ideally served chilled with pintxos (Basque tapas) and seafood. Their low alcohol content (around 10%) makes Txakoli an ideal quaffing wine that can be enjoyed all afternoon long amongst friends.

The 2018 Fleur du Cap Essence du Cap Pinotage is another funky find that made its way on my tasting list recently. Pinotage is a unique South African grape that is a cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsault. The wine has lush fruit but with an underlying earthy, funky character that is so unique to Pinotage. Notes of ripe, red fruits and savory spice make this full-bodied red smooth and complex. Since Pinotage is one of the most widely planted grapes in South Africa, it’s worth noting that finding a pleasantly memorable Pinotage can be tricky for the everyday consumer. Uneven winemaking practices in the early days led to issues with overly extracted, harsh tannins and acetone-like aromas. Some of those unflattering traits caused Pinotage to be deemed unfashionable for years. Fortunately, modern South African winemakers are now harnessing Pinotage’s complexity through careful vineyard management and winemaking.

Beyond these, wine geeks like me get excited about obscure Italian grapes like Schioppettino, Pignolo and Sagrantino, which produce robust, tannic reds. The thick skins and bold flavors of these grapes can yield wines with savory, earthy qualities some might say are "funky." I love them for adding spice to my cellar.

One of the more memorable off-beat Italian grapes for me is Corvina, which is mainly grown in the Valpolicella region of Italy and happens to be one of the very first wine regions I visited early on in my career (thanks to my brother for marrying my amazing sister in-law who grew up in the region). This late ripening grape can be made into light, easy drinking wines or rich, intense Amarone wines that are dried after harvest to concentrate flavors. The Corvina grape is praised for its plum, cherry, spice, and roasted nut flavors that become more pronounced when dried. The silky-smooth Corvina-based red wines of Valpolicella have a lush fruit character that balances their high acidity and subtle tannins. This versatility makes Corvina a fantastic grape for both easy-drinking and complex Italian reds.

While we are in Italy, let’s be sure to address Garganega. This is the primary grape used to make whites from Soave and Gambellara. This hardy grape thrives in cool conditions and volcanic soils, producing wines with crisp acidity, nutty almond flavors, and distinct minerality. Garganega is often blended with Trebbiano for added aromatics. The best Soaves showcase Garganega's lively lemon-lime citrus notes and stony texture. When made in a traditional style, Garganega yields unoaked, food-friendly wines with subtle bitterness on the dry finish. I love sipping these unique whites with seafood, white meats, and Italian appetizers.

Hopefully you'll get the chance to try some of these funky finds (little hint that we carry these varietals at The Dinner Party). Part of the fun is tasting through something totally obscure and unusual. And who knows, you might discover a new favorite in the process. Happy sipping!

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Laura Olson is co-owner of The Dinner Party along with her partner, Joe Petersen. You can also follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/#!/dinnerpartyshop or visit www.thedinnerpartyshop.com.