4 wine-producing countries that will surprise you

When we think of the main regions that make up the Wine Planet, the first places to spring to mind are probably countries with a long winemaking tradition like France, Italy, Spain, Germany, USA, Australia, Chile and Argentina, to name a few.

But our small planet is also home to tiny enclaves whose fame, as far as wine culture is concerned, is barely a blip on the radar.

Without further ado, we would like to introduce you to four unexpected wine-producing countries:

1. Slovenia.

To be fair, rank-and-file consumers might not know a lot about Slovenian wines, but they have always been appreciated and consumed in Western Europe. With that in mind, lets take a look at the country’s main wine regions and the wines produced in each:

· Podravje

The country’s most important and continental wine region mostly produces whites that are low in alcohol and have high levels of acidity. The predominant varieties include Laski, Rizling and Sipon. Varieties like Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and the three Pinots are also grown here.

· Primorska

A coastal region with a Mediterranean climate, defined by the production of dry, highly aromatic whites and somewhat robust reds. Given the area’s proximity to the Friuli wine region in Italy, you’ll find varieties like Ribolla Gialla, which grow alongside local varieties like Refosk and Sauvignonasse. As in the rest of Slovenia, the classic Bordeaux varieties also do very well here, particularly Merlot.

· Posavje

The smallest, but most diverse region, displays a strong French influence in its winemaking style. The most typical product, however, is a rosé known as Cvicek.

2. Japan

Yes, it is true—Japan isn’t exactly a viticultural paradise (it is for pretty much everything else), mainly due to its geographic location and unusual climate conditions. Going back in time, however, you’ll find that wine and Japan share an ancient link:

· Specifically, we have to go back to the 18th century when Buddhist monks planted vines across the entire country. The Japanese wine industry as we know it today, however, began in 1870 (coincidentally, the year our winery was founded!) when the Japanese government sent botanists and natural scientists to the West to study new viticultural methods and the varieties most likely to thrive in Japan.

· They soon discovered that American vines were better suited to Japanese soil conditions than their European (French and German) counterparts. Unlike Europeans, Japanese consumers were surprisingly fond of the rustic quality of varieties like Delawere. Although its cultivation is in decline, the variety still represents an important share of total plantings, only surpassed by Kyoho.

· Other important plantings include varieties like Pione, Campbell Early, Muscat Baily and Neo Muscat (a cross between Koshu Sanjaku and Muscat of Alexandria).

These days, the number of wineries is growing, and you can find wines of superb quality. Leading Japanese companies use a steady supply of French varieties to produce exceptional Cabernets and Merlots.

3. England

A priori, it would seem that in a country as far from the equator as England, grapes would not ripen properly and in sufficient amounts to make them commercially viable. But they do. During the High Middle Ages, monastic vineyards covered much of England and were very productive. This tradition continued until Bordeaux became part of the British Empire when Henry II married Eleanor of Aquitaine.

· Nowadays, England (and Wales) produces dry and sparkling white wines. Taken together, the two countries have over 1000 hectares under vine, mainly in the southeastern counties of Kent, East and West Sussex, and Surrey.

· The main varieties growing in the English vineyards are Seyval Blanc, Reichensteiner, Müller-Thurgau and Bacchus (whites), and early-ripening red varieties like Dornfelder and Rondo. The wines produced from the latter two are acceptable, but leave much room for improvement.

· As we mentioned earlier, England produces very good sparkling wines. This is why traditional varieties from the Champagne region, like Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, are also widely grown.

These days, some wineries produce bottle-fermented sparkling wines that can hold their own against the French giant in terms of quality.

4. Georgia

The former Soviet republic is among the countries that lay claim to the “invention” of wine. In its defense, Georgia is where the oldest archaeological vestiges have been found, proving that its winemaking history dates back 5000 years... Makes you think, right?

And consider this:

Georgians grow more than 500 varieties of grape.

And this:

Many wineries still make their wines using “pre-classical” methods such as fermenting the wine in kwevri, large earthenware jugs that are buried in the ground. That being said, the wine industry obviously does not use this technique to produce large, commercial quantities of wine.

· The Georgian wine par excellence is made from the red variety Saperavi. The wines are usually sweet (there are dry ones too) with expressive tannins and refreshing acidity.

· Mtsvane and Rkatsiteli are two other very popular varieties with a lot of character that are widely cultivated, as is the sweet, sparkling Shampanskoye that is consumed by the vast majority of Georgians.

The country’s winemaking potential is enormous: high-quality grapes and the right kind of climate. The only obstacles holding back the explosion of Georgian wine are political in nature (in 2006, the Russian government banned the import of Georgian wine) or related to infrastructure. Everything else—the raw material, know-how and ambition—is in place.

Source:

The World Atlas of Wine. Hugh Johnson, Jancis Robinson. Published by Blume.

Diccionario Salvat del Vino. Mauricio Wiesenthal. Published by Salvat.