Our next tasting: ³Hot² varietals: Syrah, Sangiovese, Pinot Gris/Grigio
Three varietals which are now on the "mainstream varietal" radar screen and should make for an interesting tasting at our next event.  Here is a bit of information about each varietal.
Syrah/Shiraz: The Next Hot Varietal 
Syrah (also called Shiraz) has been around for years, primarily as a small niche player and/or alternative varietal which consumers turned to when prices or selections of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot were unattractive.
But with the convergence of several critical factors--the popularity of moderately priced Australian Shiraz, consumers seeking out red varietals other than the "big four" (CS, M, PN, Z) and the red wine boom--Syrah suddenly has been catapulted into the varietal limelight.
As a result, we predict that Syrah/Shiraz--produced primarily in Australia, France, South Africa and the USA--will hit critical mass in 1999. 
Sangiovese: From Hot to Hotter 
Sangiovese has been a "hot" red varietal for years. But it only gained critical mass in the USA market in 1993. 
Until 1993, nearly all Italian Sangiovese-based wines sold in the USA went by their appellation names (Chianti, Brunello di Montalcino, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano) or proprietary names (with Vino da Tavola status). Yes, the wines were popular--total sales were in the hundreds of thousands of cases--but few wine drinkers were aware of their varietal base.
But once producers like Antinori, Bolla, Brolio and Cecchi began vigorously marketing varietal Sangioveses, consumer awareness of the varietal expanded and the number of available brands proliferated. (There are now dozens.)
In 1999, as more outstanding Sangioveses (and Sangiovese-based wines) from Italy and California are released, Sangiovese will further consolidate its position as a mainstream varietal. The party may be only just beginning.
Pinot Gris/Grigio: About to Gain Long-Overdue Respect
Meanwhile, despite its absolute scarcity in California vineyards, Pinot Gris, largely in the form of Italian Pinot Grigio, has already arrived. Pinot Gris/Grigio sales are zooming, aided by the explosion Italian/Mediterranean restaurants in the USA and consumer appreciation for the varietal's full body and direct flavor.
Pinot Gris/Grigio will make further inroads in 1999, as new versions are offered from California, Oregon and Washington. Watch, too, for Alsace's versions to gain notoriety, and for more quality versions to begin surfacing from Germany and Austria--and countries further east.
All told, 1999 should be a watershed year for Pinot Gris/Grigio: the year that consumer and trade awareness of the varietal as a serious player actually catches up to its sales accomplishments. In short, the year that Pinot Gris/Grigio earns long-overdue "respect".
