We all make mistakes, but when an entire industry makes one, it’s a whopper. The wine industry made just such a mistake when it missed out on the newest wine craze currently sweeping the country.
In the late 1970s, the world was first introduced to the fruity and sweet blush zinfandel, and the rest is wine history. Blush zinfandel is sweet, easy to drink, inexpensive and goes well with almost everything, especially parties.
Most vintners in California took little interest in producing wine from this “common” grape and were sure, as were most wine gurus, that sweet wines were just a passing fad. Blush zinfandel sales soared and the wine moved off of dealers’ shelves at light speed.
The blush zinfandel craze seemed unstoppable, but it wasn't long before consumers began to look around for something else. Eventually, they latched on to the Italian asti spumante, another sweet, fruity and affordable wine. Asti spumante is made from the moscato grape and most winemakers believed that it too was nothing more than an undistinguished variety that made sticky sweet wines of little character.
The economic stress of the late '90s and early 21st century, coupled with a glut of wine grapes, forced vintners to do anything they could to stay in business. Some turned to cheaper grapes and flashy, gaudy labels with weird names to lure customers.
To keep their brands alive, other vintners searched for anything that would help them, and, knowing of the success of blush zinfandel, took a second look at sweet wines. Moscato had been known about for centuries and was a favorite in ancient Rome. Although wine gurus and geeks turned their noses up at moscato - as they did other sweet wines - it was exactly what consumers wanted.
We recently came across the Sequin brand, whose vintners specialize in making full-flavored sweet wines. Not only do they have a fine moscato, but they also have two other sweet wines made from popular grape varieties.
These wines are not sweetened with sugar. They derive their sweetness from the vintners stopping fermentation before the yeast has completely converted all of the grapes' natural fruit sugars to alcohol, resulting in wines that are naturally sweet but have a slightly lower alcohol level.
Sequin 2012 Rose ($12)We can sum this wine up in a single sentence: It is a happy selection.
The only one who will not like this wine is the old curmudgeon down the street and, truthfully, he doesn't deserve it.
We believe this wine is probably the happiest wine we have ever sampled and is guaranteed to liven up even the most boring of affairs.
The flavor of this wine is alive with strawberry, lychee, raspberry and a hint of cranberry. If you love the joy of life, definitely try this wine.
Sequin 2012 Pinot Grigio ($12)Here is an interesting twist on an old favorite - a sweet, slightly sparkling pinot grigio.
The sweetness does not get in the way of the traditional attributes of a pinot grigio, but rather enhances them. The flavor accents pear, crisp apple and grapefruit similar to its dry forbearer, and is enhanced by the slight petulance (tiny bubbles) in the wine.
This is a great sipping wine for those upcoming cooler outdoor evenings and is also perfect for sweet oriental dishes.
Sequin 2012 Moscato ($12)This wine is not only fruity, but it too is slightly sparkling, adding new levels of enjoyment to an old favorite.
The aroma is heavy with the perfume of apricot, orange blossom and lilac. On the palate, flavors of mango and melon dominate, followed by a touch of sweet citrus.
This wine can rival many expensive and even inexpensive Italian imports, and does so with ease.
Nixa resident Bennet Bodenstein is a wine columnist and manages ArticlesOnWine.com. He can be reached at frojhe1@att.net.
