Daring to stand alone

Delia VIADER loves pushing the oenological envelope. She points to her newest red wine, “V,” and dares imbibers to guess which grape is its dominant component. If you know about Viader, the wine, not the woman, you know that it is one of the vaunted Napa Valley cult Cabernet Sauvignons. But “V” has just a bit of Cabernet Sauvignon in the mix. Instead, its deep purple color and serious tannins derive primarily from Petit Verdot.

Petit Verdot is one of six traditional varieties besides Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot used in the red wines of Bordeaux; the others are Cabernet Franc, Malbec and the increasingly rare Carmenere. But unlike in Bordeaux, where winemakers are handcuffed by centuries-old rules about which grapes can be crushed and how they may (and should) be blended, here in America, anything goes. And increasingly, wine growers such as Viader are opting to showcase the intrinsic characteristics of Bordeaux’s lesser-known grapes by bottling them individually as varietals.

Petit Verdot in particular appeals to Viader because of its high acidity and forthright structure. To be sure, it’s not an everyday wine. But served with steak or lamb, it holds its own. “I love this grape for its intensity and high tannins,” she says. “It attacks your middle palate and makes you pucker.” In fact, Viader, the woman, likes the variety enough to produce 300 cases and charge a stunning $80 per bottle.

And Viader’s not alone: Vintners all over California, including those at St. Supery in Rutherford, Clos du Lac Cellars in Amador County and Imagery Estate Winery in Glen Ellen, prize Petit Verdot for its robust flavors of pepper and spice and its bold tannins.

In Bordeaux, the idea of making a wine that’s predominantly Petit Verdot would be as unthinkable as serving a dish whose main ingredient was oregano. “These are lovely grapes,” says Eric Espuny, sommelier at Patina, “but they don’t ripen in Bordeaux like they do here and in other warm places like Spain. No one in Bordeaux would think of bottling Petit Verdot to drink on its own; it just wouldn’t taste very good.” In a Bordeaux blend, Petit Verdot simply provides tannic structure, color, acidity and that spicy, peppery flavor.

The trend is even more intriguing because as more European wineries adopt the Cabernet Sauvignon-heavy New World style of winemaking, blending grapes such as Petit Verdot, Carmenere and Malbec are used even more sparingly in the mix in Bordeaux. Leave it to California winemakers to pick up these varieties and put them in the spotlight.

California mavericks have been playing with Cabernet Franc for some time, including using it in “Meritage” blends. Now, dozens of wineries, from Santa Barbara to the Sierra Foothills to Sonoma and Napa Valley, are bottling the stuff straight. Blame it on abundant sunshine, because these same grapes that hardly ripen in the colder reaches of Bordeaux simply swell with sugars hanging on California vines.

Cabernet Franc is, of course, well-known in the Loire Valley, where it is a fairly light, fruity wine (Saumur-Champigny, Bourgueil and Chinon are a few examples). A genetic parent of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cab Franc has softer tannins than its offspring. On the nose, it offers violets, stone fruits and strawberries, and as it ages, develops mushroom and cigar box aromatics.

“It has a finesse that very few other wines have for the money,” says Patina’s Espuny. “It is a beautiful wine that I try to introduce to customers as often as I can.” It is also one of the most easygoing wines when it comes to food, effortlessly pairing with lighter meats like pork and chicken, since the main course doesn’t have to duke it out with tough tannins.

A difficult grape to grow

Stateside on the East Coast, Long Island wineries have been turning out delicious examples for years. Palmer Vineyards and Pelligrini both make wonderful versions.

The California version is, not surprisingly, more extracted and more alcoholic than its French and Long Island counterparts.

It can be a tricky grape to grow, says John Clews, winemaker at Clos du Val in the Napa Valley. “You’ve got to be careful about over-cropping or you can get a vegetative character that’s not so pleasant.” Yet recently, he tripled the winery’s plantings to 15 acres. “Over the years, we’ve become more and more impressed with the quality of Cab Franc,” he says, noting that it’s “exquisite and charming.” It should be, at $85 per bottle. Despite its high price tag, the winery sells out its 300 cases every year, according to Clews. “It’s the pet wine of the tasting room.”

You may have tasted Malbec from Argentina, where it is thriving as the No. 1 exported wine. But California growers are getting in on the game too.

With flavors and an intensity that lie somewhere between robust Cabernet Sauvignon and soft Merlot, dark purple Malbec has a rich, rustic taste of plums and anise. It is medium-bodied, with a rich mouth-feel. When added to Bordeaux blends, it contributes color, flavor nuance and texture.

“We love Malbec because it is really concentrated but not hard; it’s silky in the mouth and doesn’t have a sharpness,” says Mike Benziger of Imagery. “It’s a big, intense wine that, when you taste it, you can see why it makes Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot better.”

Edgewood Estate in St. Helena was one of the first California wineries to bottle Malbec, back in 1992. “People still haven’t heard of it,” says Steve Hare, the winery’s sales manager. “But after we introduce them to it, it’s the best selling wine in our tasting room. For all the talk about people wanting something new to drink, most are still buying Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay and White Zinfandel.”

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Where to find the new varietals

California Petit Verdots, Malbecs and Cabernet Francs are available at fine wine shops such as Wally’s Wine & Spirits and Wine House, both in West L.A., and Beverages & More in Van Nuys.

2001 Imagery Petit Verdot, about $33.

2001 “V” (Petit Verdot blend), about $80.

2000 Chateau St. Jean St. Jean Estate Vineyard Malbec, about $50.

2000 Arrowood Sonoma County Malbec, about $42.

2002 Single Leaf Vineyards Malbec, about $16.

2001 Lang & Reed Cabernet Franc, $21.

1999 Perry Creek Cabernet Franc, about $18.

2001 Robert Sinskey Vineyards Cabernet Franc, Los Carneros, about $36.

2001 Madrona Vineyards Cabernet Franc, about $15.

-- Tara Weingarten