Starting on your journey to taste 100 different wine grapes can seem a bit daunting, but there are plenty of resources out there to help you figure out what you want to do. If you wanted, you could even just taste red grapes or just whites!
There are litterally thousands of different wine grapes out there in the world. You could never taste them all in a lifetime!
A good book to get, although out of print, is Jancis Robinson’s Guide to Wine Grapes. It contains over 850 different grape descriptions with a general rating of each grape as to it’s wine potential. I have two copies of this book. My first one got chewed up by my dog! But it is still readable… I finally broke down and bought a new one from Alibris.com… I use it constantly to look up grapes.
If you are a glutton for punishment, try reading THE SUPER GIGANTIC Y2K WINEGRAPE GLOSSARY. It probably contains as many grapes as Jancis’ book, but more of a slant towards grapes that grow in the eastern half of the USA.
Also, don’t be limited by the sheet that the Wine Century club provides. I had to write in about 20 grape varieties not even listed on the form, many of which I grow at my vineyard!
Good Luck!
Steve Snyder
www.hollywoodhillvineyards.com
“Grapes and Vines” by Oz Clarke is also useful.
Love the Wine Century Club! I achieved my first 100 about a year ago and am working on my 2nd 100.
Just scored an Italian wine from Piedmont region, Verduno DOC. Pelaverga piccolo is the varietal also known as Verduno Pelaverga. This will be #103. Planning to share it with others on the 5th anniversary of the Wine Century Club in early May.