Yes Virginia They Do Make Great Wine Outside of Napa and Sonoma

One of my favorite things about being a wine guy is making new discoveries and sharing those discoveries with others.   In order to make those discoveries I often need to get out of my comfort zone and drink wines I have never heard of from places I am not familiar with.   There is some risk associated with trying new things, I often taste wines that I do not like at all (a wine variety from Arizona called "Symphony" comes to mind), but finding new wines that I would have not otherwise enjoyed more than makes up for any bad experiences.   

Most of the time when I go out to dinner with friends, because the majority of our friends are not wine guys, they ask me to pick the wine.  Most of them only drink a few brands from California or play it safe by always ordering wine from Napa or Sonoma.  I can see the look of fear and bewilderment in their face when I end up ordering a white wine from Spain or a red wine from Washington State.  Napa and Sonoma make wonderful wines but what my dinner mates can't comprehend is that they don't make the only wonderful wines.  They approach the first glass of this non Napa/Sonoma wine as if someone had just put a glass of pickle juice in front of them to drink.  It used to bother me (like "how dare they doubt the wine guy!!!") but I learned to wait for the payoff, the "boy this stuff doesn't suck, it is actually pretty good" look on their faces after they take a sip.  When they take a picture of the label or pick up the bottle to read the label I know I did my job, and did it well.  

Because in all likelihood we will not be going to out to dinner together and because what I have mentioned above has sparked an adventurous spirit in you I am going to give you some suggestions on how to step out of your Napa/Sonoma comfort zone.    

If you like Cabernet Sauvignon: Try one from Argentina of Chile or Washington State.   They are every bit as good, often better, at a fraction of the price.  If you want to burn some extra cash try a French Bordeaux, or a Barolo, Barbaresco, or Amarone from Italy.  They are big and complex like the top Cabernet Sauvingnon's are, complement the same foods, but will take you places you have never gone before.    

If you like Chardonnay: Try one from Oregon.  As a rule they are less buttery or oaky but are bursting with fruit flavor.  From France you might want to try a White Burgundy (rich and smooth) or a Chablis (fruity and crisp).  To step out even more try a Riesling from Alsace region of France.  They are bone dry but have a lot of amazing fruit flavors.   You may also enjoy Viognier as it provides a lot of the fruityness of Chardonnay with a bit more earthiness.   

If you like Merlot: Try one from Washington State.  Again the quality is amazing at a fraction of the cost. To step out even further try a Shiraz from Australia.  It has the same smoothness with even more of the dark stone fruit you love about Merlot.   

If you like Pinot Noir: Try one from Oregon.  Often more complex than Sonoma Pinots they are among the best in the world.  You might also try a Red Burgundy.  Burgundy France is the birthplace of Pinot Noir and if you are willing to pay for the experience you will be rewarded with some of the most amazing wines you will ever taste.  If you want to try something completely different you might try a Gamay or a Crus Beaujolais from France or a Pinotage from South Africa.  Both are light and approachable red wines similar to Pinot Noir.   

If you like Zinfandel: Try a Primitivo from Italy or a Malbec from South America.   They are big, rich, and zesty like the best Zinfandels but will provide you with a different experience.  You might also try Cotes du Rhone  from France, or any number of red wines from Spain.  Many of them have the richness and spiciness people love about Zinfandel  and offer a unique mouthwatering experience.  

If you like Sauvignon Blanc: Try Albarino or other white wine from Spain or a San Gimignano white from Italy.  They give you the same crisp green apple/citrus that you get from California Sauvignon Blanc but throws in a number of flavors and characteristics unique to their wines.  You might also try a White Bordeaux wine that combines Sauvignon Blanc with Semillon  producing a crisp, smooth, fruity wine. You may have noted I did not recommend a Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand (Kim Crawford may come to mind).   In my mind pickle juice is preferable to New Zealand Sauvignon blanc and may be a greater threat to mankind then global warming or the zika virus.  Because of that I did not recommend it as an alternative but because many other wine guys disagree with me you may want to give that one of those a try as well.  

There you have it my field guide for stepping out of your comfort zone. Please let me know your experience trying any of these suggestions or if you have any questions or comments.