The Unique Charms of ‘Miscellaneous Wines’

MOST WINE LISTS are organized according to popular regions or grapes, although an additional category is often tacked on at the end. This is where wines that won’t easily fit in one place or another are assigned—a category that’s invariably and, some might say, ignominiously entitled “Miscellaneous Wines.”
Both reds and whites are grouped in this manner and the latter might include such disparate offerings as a New York Rkatsiteli, a Pigato from Liguria, a Sicilian Grillo and a Jacquère or two from the Savoy region of France. Why put such wines in the same place? The most likely explanation is space—most restaurants don’t want a wine list that’s overly long, often because of the wine drinkers themselves. Not many people are patient enough to leaf through page after page of grapes they’ve never heard of or wine regions they’re unlikely to visit.
Some wine directors, finding their customers aren’t moved by the word “miscellaneous,” might craft a more flattering title: “Interesting Wines” is one I’ve seen fairly often, though as Cat Silirie, wine director of No. 9 Park in Boston, pointed out, that particular rubric would seem to imply that everything else is rather dull. Ms. Silirie, who won the 2012 James Beard wine program award, found this kind of categorization “demeaning” to wines like Traminer, Muscat and Godello. (Ms. Silirie organizes her list according to both region and grape.)
I’m not sure if the miscellaneous category is actually demeaning, especially since I often find wines listed there that I want to try. One reason is price. The obscure and uncurated will almost always cost less than the well known and well placed. If you don’t know what a wine is, you’re unlikely to pay a high price for it. (There are exceptions of course—for example, an obscure Trebbiano from Abruzzo made by Valentini can cost almost as much as a premier cru Burgundy.)
A miscellaneous wine is likely to be one that a sommelier loves and feels personally connected to, especially since it’s a wine that’s not likely to sell itself. A miscellaneous wine often pairs well with food—for the same reason as above. (Sommeliers rarely favor non-food-friendly wine.) And yet miscellaneous wines, broadly speaking, don’t seem to get a lot of attention or love. That’s one reason why I embarked on a summer-friendly all-white-miscellaneous-wine tasting earlier this month.
I turned first to Italy and France, two countries that produce a lot of wines that end up in the miscellaneous section of wine lists. This is hardly surprising since there are thousands of different varietals in Italy alone and hundreds of different grapes officially recognized in France.
In both countries, famous grapes are often cultivated alongside lesser knowns. For example, in Italy’s Piedmont region there are familiar white grapes like Moscato and Gavi, as well as lesser known varietals like Erbaluce and Arneis. Ditto the Savoy region in southeastern France, where white grapes like Jacquère and Mondeuse Blanche coexist with the more popular globe-trotting Pinot Gris.
But it’s Italy that offers a veritable roll call of world-class “miscellaneous” white grapes—in fact, the obscure whites of Italy could fill an entire wine list. From north to south, the country is thickly planted with consonant-rich grapes like Pecorino, Asprinio, Fiano, Pigato, Catarratto and Grillo, to name just a (very) few. And thanks to a recent resurgence of interest in native varietals, these grapes are responsible for some of the most interesting wines made in Italy today.
The Pigato grape grown in Liguria has long been one of my favorites. Though it’s recently been named a clonal cousin of Vermentino—a far more famous grape—a good Pigato from a top producer like Bruna or Terre Bianche can be even more nuanced, with aromas of almonds and citrus. A good Pigato can also age particularly well. Further south, in Sicily and Campania, there are lots of terrific “miscellaneous” grapes, like the crisp Grillo and the ancient Fiano with its distinctive scent of hazelnuts.
The wines of Savoy, in the Alpine region of eastern France, have become so popular in recent years that they may be elevated beyond the miscellaneous category sometime soon. With a characteristic bright acidity and a profile that ranges from light and flowery with mineral notes (whites made from the Jacquère grape) to a richer, more rounded profile (wines made from Roussette aka Altesse), Savoy wines also pair well with food. They also tend to be very good deals; some top Savoy wines are priced at less than a generic bottle of village Burgundy, often under $20 a bottle. There aren’t any famous names (yet) though one of the best-known Savoy producers is Pierre Boniface, whose Apremont bottling is fairly easy to find—and to drink. There are even more complex offerings from producers like Jean-Charles Girard-Madoux and Domaine Lupin.
There are plenty of other pockets of French obscurity, to be sure. For example, in Languedoc and the Rhône, the Picpoul grape is the source of some fresh, uncomplicated whites. In Alsace, grapes like Chasselas and Sylvaner are planted near well-known grapes like Riesling and Gewürztraminer. While the first two aren’t particularly prized, in the hands of a great producer like André Ostertag, Sylvaner can actually achieve a rare measure of distinction. The Ostertag Sylvaner is a stainless-steel-fermented wine with a long, mineral finish—and at $22 a bottle, it’s a lot cheaper than wines made from more recognizable Alsace grapes.
“The obscure and uncurated will almost always cost less than the well known and well placed. If you don’t know what a wine is, you’re unlikely to pay a high price for it.”
Spain and Portugal are also fine sources for worthy obscurities. The grapes Xarel-lo in the Penedès and Godella in Galicia produce appealing whites that can sometimes be found in the miscellaneous section of wide-ranging wine lists, as can Rabigato, a high-acidity white grape grown in Portugal’s Douro Valley.
The United States is the one country that doesn’t produce many miscellaneous wines (a bit of an irony considering we popularized the category on wine lists). There are exceptions, of course, and two of my favorites are both produced in New York: the Channing Daughters Tocai Friulano, a crisp dry white made from a Friulian grape, and a minerally white Rkatsiteli, a Russian grape grown by Dr. Konstantin Frank Vinifera Wine Cellars in the Finger Lakes district.
I tasted the latter in the company of Charles Massoud, owner of Paumanok Winery (where he makes Long Island’s only Chenin Blanc). When Mr. Massoud commented favorably on the wine, I asked if he’d consider making a Rkatsiteli too. He demurred. There were many wines that he liked but he didn’t want to “lose focus.”
My miscellaneous tasting was far from focused but yielded lots of delicious results. From Alsace Sylvaner to Altesse from Savoy, Arneis in Piedmont, Scheurebe from Germany and Pigato in Liguria (and more), I found characterful wines that were as distinctive as they were well-priced. Perhaps more people would order from the miscellaneous section of a wine list if it were retitled. Wines for the Adventurous? Or Wines You’d Probably Never Consider (but Should). I’d call them Wines I’d Drink Again and Again.
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Trailer One

Clark Wine Center was built in 2003 by Hong Kong-based Yats International Leisure Philippines to become the largest wine shop in Philippines supplying Asia’s wine lovers with fine vintage wines at attractive prices. Today, this wine shop in Clark Philippines offers over 2000 selections of fine wines from all major wine regions in the world. As a leading wine supplier in Philippines, Pampanga’s Clark Wine Center offers an incomparable breadth of vintages, wines from back vintages spanning over 50 years. Clark Wine Center is located in Pampanga Clark Freeport Zone adjacent to Angeles City, just 25 minutes from Subic and 45 minutes from Manila.

Things to do in Clark Philippines and Pampanga: do a little wine shopping at the famous wine shop outside of Manila called Clark Wine Center. One of the favorite places to visit in Pampanga Clark Freeport is the white building along M A Roxas highway of Clark which houses over 2000 selections of fine vintage wines. The Clark Wine Center is one of the places to visit, a tourist spot and a good shopping place for those staying in Angeles City, Subic or Clark Pampanga. It is lauded by food and wine lovers in Manila, Subic and Pampanga as the best wine shop outside Manila as well as a good place to buy wine in Pampanga.

Residents of Pampanga Angeles City, Subic, Tarlac and Clark Philippines know of this wine shop as one of the best places in Clark, a good night out place and simply the best place to hang out, enjoy some good wine with cheese on the roof deck with good atmosphere, or just relax and unwind with friends and family in a cool place. This wine shop in Clark Pampanga is recognized by many to be one of the best places to buy fine vintage wine in the Philippines. Located near Mimosa Leisure Estate surrounded by golf courses, resorts and a casino, this well known wine shop is frequently visited for its good selection of wine not available in Manila or Subic. Clark Wine Center is open 7 days a week from 10am to 8pm. Private dinners, wine tastings and group gatherings can be organized by advanced reservation.

Foodies and wine lovers travel north from Manila to wine and dine at Philippines’ best fine dining restaurant in Pampanga Clark Freeport worth the 60-minutes drive for a memorable evening of good food with vintage wine at Yats Restaurant & Wine Bar. Most guests would stop by this famous wine shop called Clark Wine Center to bring home a few good bottles of fine vintage wine also. Other visitors may find the wine selections in some of the restaurants in Angeles City Pampanga to be less than interesting, so they stop by this wine shop near Angeles City Pampanga Clark Philippines, buy some good wines and bring these bottles of good vintage wines to the restaurants so they can enjoy the dinner.

Wines from Burgundy, Bordeaux, Rhone, Loire, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Austria, Alsace, USA, Australia, New Zealand, Italy, South Africa, Chile and Argentina etc. are well represented in this Clark Wine Shop which is lauded by wine and food lovers from Manila and tourists from abroad as the best place to buy wine in Pampanga.

This is one of the frequently visited places for wine lovers from Manila and Angeles City to buy wines in Pampanga.

http://www.ClarkWineCenter.com

Getting to this wine shop in Pampanga Angeles City Clark Freeport Zone Philippines from Manila
Getting to the Clark Wine Center wine shop from Manila is quite simple: after entering Clark Freeport from Dau and Angeles City, proceed straight along the main highway M A Roxas. Clark Wine Center is the stand-along white building on the right, at the corner A Bonifacio Ave. From the Clark International Airport DMIA, ask the taxi to drive towards the entrance of Clark going to Angeles City. From Mimosa, just proceed towards the exit of Clark and this wine shop is on the opposite side of the main road M A Roxas.

Best place to buy wine in Clark Pampanga outside Manila near Subic and Angeles City Philippines is Clark Wine Center.

Click here to contact Clark Wine Center in Clark Pampanga for inquiries and orders.

Yats Leisure Philippines

Clark Wine Center
Bldg 6460 Clark Observatory Building
Manuel A. Roxas Highway corner A Bonifacio Ave,
Angeles Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga 2023

Tel: 0922-870-5173 0917-826-8790 (ask for Ana Fe)

Wine@Yats-International.com

YATS Wine Cellars
Manila Sales Office
3003C East Tower, Phil Stock Exchange Center,
Exchange Road, Ortigas Centger,
Metro Manila, Philippines 1605

Tel: (632) 637-5019 0917-540-3626 ask for Rea or Chay

Log on to this web site for more information about Yats Wine Cellars as the leading wine importer and wine supplier in the Philippines:

ats Wine Cellars Leading Wine Supplier in Philippines

Wedding couples looking for wedding reception venues and beach wedding venues can log on to this Philippines Wedding Venue web site for free information and assistance:

http://www.PhilippinesWeddingVenue.com

While in Clark, it might be a good idea to enjoy an evening of wine-and-dine in the fine dining Yats Restaurant and Wine Bar that features an award winning 2700-line wine list. Highly recommended fine dining restaurant in Manila for special occasion is Yats Restaurant & Wine Lounge located in the famous Mimosa Leisure Estate in Clark Pampanga. Situated near this popular restaurant in Clark is the Mimosa Golf Course as well as the Mimosa Clark Casino. This top rated restaurant near Angeles City Pampanga in Clark Philippines is frequently used for private parties and corporate functions such as board meetings and other gatherings. It is located in Mimosa Leisure Estate of Clark Freeport Zone. For more information, visit http://www.YatsRestaurant.com

YATS Leisure Philippines is a developer and operator of clubs, resorts and high-class restaurants and wine shops in Clark Angeles Philippines http://www.YatsLeisure.com

Looking for famous tourists spots, places to visit and see, relax and unwind in Clark, Pampanga, Philippines? You may want to check out these sites also:

http://www.LondonPubClark.com

Besides good restaurants to wine and dine near Manila, Subic or in Angeles City Pampanga, Clark Philippines, those requiring assistance for hotel and resort bookings in Clark, Pampanga, Philippines may log on to http://www.HotelClarkPhilippines.com for more information and reservations.

The lifestyle in Clark Pampanga is quite unique. For more information about shopping, sports, golf, leisure, hotel accommodation, where to see and visit, what to do, where to wine and dine and good places to hang out, relax, have a drink with friends, child-friendly establishments, log on to
http://www.ClarkPhilippines.com

Wine lovers looking for a special bottle or something that is of great value and special discounts might log on to this web site to shop for fine vintage wines
http://www.YatsWineCellars.com

TRAILER TWO

Tourists and residents of Manila travel out of town to the north on a short getaway look for the best place in Clark to buy some fine vintage wine to bring home after their holidays and vacations. Many find a top rated wine shop called Clark Wine Center to be an exciting place to do some shopping in Clark Pampanga. This famous wine shop is highly recommended for visitors going to Clark Pampanga to drink good wine, relax and unwind with friends and families. Clark Wine Center is also lauded by wine and food lovers from Manila and tourists from abroad as the best place to buy wine in Pampanga.

This frequently visited wine shop outside Manila is known by tourist and visitors to Pampanga, Angeles city, Subic and Clark Philippines as a cool place to hang out in Clark. Many attend the regular wine tasting held either outdoor on the roof deck or in indoor on the second floor above the wine shop. The place has good atmosphere for a private wine tasting party or a small night out gatherings for business or social event. Clark Wine Center is lauded by food and wine lovers in Manila, Subic and Pampanga as the best wine shop outside Manila as well as a good place to buy wine in Pampanga.

Tourists and visitors staying in Angeles City, Tarlac, Baguio, Subic and Pampanga sometimes wonder what are the things to do in Clark Philippines and Pampanga? Frequent visitors to Pampanga discover that it is fun to do a little wine shopping at the famous wine shop outside of Manila called Clark Wine Center. One of the favorite places to visit in Pampanga Clark Freeport is the white building along M A Roxas highway of Clark which houses over 2000 selections of fine vintage wines. The Clark Wine Center is one of the places to visit, a tourist spot and a good shopping place for those staying in Angeles City, Subic or Clark Pampanga.

Leading Philippines Wine Supplier Yats Wine Cellars, leading supplier of fine wines in Philippines with outlets in Angeles City, Subic Freeport and Manila Philippines has been not only a wine shop for fine wines covering all major wine regions but also a source of reliable and useful information about wine, wine appreciation, wine accessories, wine and health, food and wine pairing and all other matters relating to wine and its appreciation. This Philippines Clark Freeport based Wine Supplier and Wine Shop frequently holds public wine tasting events in Pampanga Clark Freeport Zone, Angeles City, Subic Bay area, Makati, Fort Bonifacio and other areas in Philippines capital city Manila. Private Wine events such as private wine tasting and private wine dinners are also designed and organized for private clientele for their wine loving guests.

Log on to this web site for more information about Yats Wine Cellars as the leading wine importer and wine supplier in the Philippines:

ats Wine Cellars Leading Wine Supplier in Philippines

Wine Catering is a unique product of Yats Wine Cellars, created back in 2005 in response to a growing demand for private wine parties in Manila, Cebu, Subic, Angeles Clark Philippines.

Chateau Lafite-Rothschild is the most revered wine in China and many other parts of Asia. The best wine shop in Asia to buy older vintages of Chateau Lafite is Yats Wine Cellars located in Clark Philippines. Aside from Lafite, visitors can buy other fine wines at this wine shop in Clark Pampanga such as Latour, Mouton-Rothschild, Haut-Brion and Margaux. Excellent Burgundy wines like Chambertin, Vougeot, Musigny, Bonnes Mares, Pommard, Meursault, Chambertin, Vosne Romanee, Romanee Conti, La Tache and Romanee St. Vivant can be found here.

Yats Wine Cellars can be reached at their Clark Wine Center Philippines wine shop located on the main highway M A Roxas of Pampanga Clark Freeport Zone or their sales office in Ortigas Centre, Metro Manila. Here is the contact information:

http://www.ClarkWineCenter.com

Best place to buy wine in Clark Pampanga outside Manila near Subic and Angeles City Philippines is Clark Wine Center.

Click here to contact Clark Wine Center in Clark Pampanga for inquiries and orders.

Clark Wine Center

Yats Leisure Philippines

Bldg 6460 Clark Observatory Building
Manuel A. Roxas Highway corner A Bonifacio Ave,
Angeles Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga 2023
0922-870-5173 0917-826-8790 (ask for Ana Fe)

Wine@Yats-International.com

YATS Wine Cellars
Manila Sales Office
3003C East Tower, Phil Stock Exchange Center,
Exchange Rd Ortigas Metro Manila, Philippines 1605
(632) 637-5019 0917-520-4393 ask for Rea or Chay

Log on to this web site for more information about Yats Wine Cellars as the leading wine importer and wine supplier in the Philippines:

ats Wine Cellars Leading Wine Supplier in Philippines

Wedding couples looking for wedding reception venues and beach wedding venues can log on to this Philippines Wedding Venue web site for free information and assistance:

http://www.PhilippinesWeddingVenue.com

YATS Leisure Philippines is a developer and operator of clubs, resorts and high-class restaurants and wine shops in Clark Angeles Philippines http://www.YatsLeisure.com

Looking for famous tourists spots, places to visit and see, relax and unwind in Clark, Pampanga, Philippines? You may want to check out these sites also:

http://www.LondonPubClark.com

Wine lovers looking for a special bottle or something that is of great value and special discounts might log on to this web site to shop for fine vintage wines
http://www.YatsWineCellars.com

Those visitors who plan to relax and unwind in Angeles City, Subic, Pampanga, Clark Philippines might make an effort to book a room at the famous beach and lake resort Clearwater Resort & Country Club. This famous hotel in Clark Pampanga is frequently visited by families with children looking for a good place in Clark to see, a good holiday destination for the family to relax and unwind in the beautiful outdoor facilities. For more information, log on to www.ClearwaterPhilippines.com
Buy wine in Pampanga, Philippines at good wine shops and boutique wine stores that offer good selection of good vintage wines at all price points.
Good white wines that available at the wine shops in Manila and Pampanga include Puligny Montrachet, Chassagne Montrachet, Pouilly Fuisse, Corton Charlemagne, Montrachet, Batard Montrachet and Beaune. This makes it easy and convenient for wine lovers to buy wine in Manila. They are also great wines to include in wine gift baskets for delivery in the Philippines.
Manila wine and food lovers looking for things to do in Pampanga and Manila can consider attending one of these wine events. The best way to learn more about wine in the Philippines is to attend public wine tasting events that have no sponsors. These wine tasting events held by Yats are non-commercial. Yats Wine Cellars does not promote a specific winery, producer or a brand. These wine tastings and wine dinners held in Manila and Pampanga are all designed to let wine lovers explore more interesting aspects of wine.

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