POLL: Your favorite grape

[Jenise]

This is one of those desert island questions: you're being banished, and you can only take one grape variety with you. What's it going to be?
If your choice would be a blend, then choose the grape that is typically the majority constituent in the blends you like best.

The last time someone ran a poll like this, I believe the winner was pinot noir. Wonder if that's changed?

Wot no Nebbiolo
Shame on you Jenise, shame on you.


regards

Ian

[Jenise]

Eek! It's there now.

I can't possibly choose just one. Would be interesting in know if others feel this way as well.

Perhaps it might have been better to divide this into reds and whites. But even then, the answer for me is very simple: Sangiovese. Why? It just resonates with me, somehow. Lovely and graceful, yet capable of being profound.

No way for me to answer this......much like the line I like so much from Joshua Logan's play "Finian's Rainbow":

"When I'm not near
The girl I love
I love the girl I'm near"

Best
Rogov

I've been musing over this on my blog lately. I would choose Riesling. Why?
Because Riesling is so versatile and is crafted into beautiful expressions of wine that range from extra dry to decadently sweet with oaked versions and even bubbles. They can be light and fruity to concentrated, rich and deep with a range of alcohols levels and still be a beautiful drink. The other great thing about Riesling is that it can age magnificently, so with just one grape variety, depending on winemaking style, you can drink it when it is young and fresh or when it is decades old.
Given these factors, is there any other grape that is as veratile as Riesling?

Now that's not fair! Especially when you know that my desert island choice would revolve more around a wine (champagne) than a single grape and also knowing full well that this particular favorite wine requires (traditionally) three different grapes! This is awful. What am I to do?

Well, I decided I'd just have cases of Salon shipped to me eternally on this island and I went with Chardonnay

I'm sure I'll survive the hardship somehow living this blanc de blancs lifestyle...

Hey, how about shipping a few decades worth of Taittinger Comtes de Champagne to my island as well! That will count! This might not be as compromising as I thought after all! I could probably get used to it... I always have had a thing for this most luscious and elegant of grapes...

I must admit I found it ironically amusing that Chardonnay tends to get "picked on" in general wine reputation (typically for it's lesser west coast profiles I guess) and yet here I am more than personally happy to pick it as my inevitable and eternal choice! Then again, I don't make any claims that I have good taste so that really doesn't mean anything...

Perhaps I just have a thing for "blondes" as well. In fact I know I do

Jeff

I chose riesling as my favorite grape because it makes so many appealing wines in so many different styles from so many different places.

If I had to chose my favorite wine it would probably be red Burgundy. But pinot noir from all other places is a sharp fall-off from that for me.

All the votes seem to have disappeared

I absolutely understand the reasoning of those who chose Riesling, and I was tempted myself. But in the end I went for Pinot Noir - it had better all be decent Burgundy, mind! Possibly some nice fruity ones from elsewhere.

There is also a good argument for Malvasia, Bual, Verdelho or Sercial - Maderia would have certain practical advantages on this desert island!

I chose riesling as my favorite grape because it makes so many appealing wines in so many different styles from so many different places.

I forgot to add specifically what you said, but it's definitely one of the reasons that makes this No.1 grape variety for me.

All the votes seem to have disappeared

I've revoted and I was the only voter when the results were re-displayed. Scary, Scary. Where did they go?

Only one you say.... well then.... pinot noir. You can drink it either red or white. It can go from burgundy to champagne. It can be run from spectacular to just everyday drinking.

But please tell me it isn't true that I can only have one grape.

Glenn

Only one you say.... well then.... pinot noir. You can drink it either red or white. It can go from burgundy to champagne.

I am beginning to feel even better with my choice now. Also, as Pinot Gris is technically speaking the same variety, I could have some of that too . I would leave the Pinot Blanc behind I think.

While I really like Riesling, I must say that on the occasions where I have drunk a lot of it in one week (visits to Alsace or Germany) I have found it quite tiring, all that acid can be hard to get through. I don't think I would ever tire of PN.

Just reinstated my vote!

Shiraz.

It can be lean and restrained, voluptuous, or downright blowsy. It can be simple or complex. Happy to have only shiraz, provided a range of regions and styles is represented.

(If I could have two, I'd have riesling as well.)

Response to the Desert Island,

I said Pinot Noir, a grape I actually don't drink as often as I might like because of the expense. I chose it because I could enjoy red, rose, Champagne and (for all I know, passable) white wine, so I would really be sacrificing almost nothing.

If I were to choose a simple 'favorite' (I suppose the grape used in my 'favorite' wine), I don't think I have had anywhere near enough different wines to choose (heading right out to pick up some Domaine de la Romanee Conti...)

I'd have to say without a doubt it's Pinot Noir.

Or Syrah.

Or maybe Pinot Gris Alsace style. Or Chenin Vouvray style. Or Reisling for sure. Unless I'm having Oysters in which case it's definitely Melon de Bourgogne.

Then there's Nebbiolo. No doubt it might be Nebbiolo.

So apparently my favorite grape is anything but Chardonnay or Cabernet. Unless it's really good Chardonnay or Cabernet in which case maybe it is.

If it's after dinner it's Touriga Nacional and the other port varietals.

Of course I reserve the right to change my mind about any of the above.

John

Aw, c’mon peeps—You know Cabernet Sauvignon makes the greatest wine in France and in California. I can’t believe that I’m the only one (or more likely, the first) to vote for it.

But then as Sue Courtney points out, there is Riesling. Maybe you should have offered white and red categories.

Other. For me, Pinotage.

(since when was champagne a grape variety?)

Grenache. Without it, no Rhone, no Languedoc, no Roussillon, no Calatayud...and no Provence rosé!

I'm checking the Oxford for that elusive Champagne grape...

Or were you reaching for Pinot Meunier...?

My initial thought was Riesling, for the variety of styles.
Then I thought about food- my knowledge of desert islands is pretty much limited to Lord of the Flies, Robinson Crusoe, and Gilligan's Island. LOTF has a wild boar hunt, so I did think of Nebbiolo or Sangiovese. Though Riesling is certainly versatile.
But ultimately, if I were ever forced to make such a wrenching choice, it would have to be old fave, PN.
Please have my initial supply include mixed cases of DRC, multiple cases of Rousseau Beze, Lafarge Chenes, Chevillon LSG, Roumier Musigny, and many others. I'd also like some decent Bourgognes and village wines, don't want GC & 1er EVERY night. Of course I want a large supply of Gouges La Perriere NSG white. Luckily my island has caves and cool springs, on hot days I can drink my whites and Marsannay roses cool. I'm going to need plenty of blanc de noirs (and some PN heavy roses), thanks. Then a pallet of mixed PN from Germany, Austria, NZ, CA, and Oregon. Oh yeah, Sancerre both red and pink. And maybe just a few bottles of Pinot Nero, Aussie PN, Alsace PN- not my favorites, but considering I'm limited to one variety, might as well try a few.

Well it all depends upon where this deserted Island is located or the place where I was banished was located.

Salute

Hands down, pinot noir.

[Jenise]

Other. For me, Pinotage.

(since when was champagne a grape variety?)

Well, as Jeff B pointed out, it's also a distinct winemaking style so it really wasn't fair to make a champagne fan choose between chardonnay and pinot noir.

[Jenise]

But please tell me it isn't true that I can only have one grape.

Glenn

Wait till you get to the food part.