The most head-turning wines of our three week trip to Europe (ten days St. Emilion, ten days Spain, and 24 hours in Dubai) were 1) a 100% Graciano at Contino in Rioja, and 2) the ridiculous goodness of wine available for just 2E a glass, if that much, when you just ask for "tinto" at just about any bar in Spain.
That Graciano...never had one before, had NO idea what it tasted like. But it was mindblowing--so different, so exotic, and yet all in ways that were acceptably within the parameters of major fine wine and not odd at all. Pourers at other wineries brought the Contino up too, so it's a local wonder of the moment. But it's 65E a bottle, so they know what they've got.
I discovered that a little Graciano is being grown in Washington, but it's being purposed into blends 10% here or there, just like Spain. Contino's version says it deserves to be a stand-alone variety.
But whoever sees it?
