These three seemingly unrelated varieties of red wine reflect a new trend I noticed in cooler NYC wine bars and stores: digging into local, less known grapes, which are traditionally produced in small quantities, fermented without oak and not meant to be aged. All these wines, which I had in the last 3 months share certain general taste characteristics: floral nose (leaning toward rose with Le Cousin Grolleau and Luca Ferraris Ruché), light to medium body, spicy mouth with strawberry sweetness, black pepper finish and rejuvenating tartness. They are compotey, slightly cloudy, Ruché being the darkest in the group.
Le Cousin Grolleau 200790 points
Grolleau is an acidic, low alcohol Loire variety known mostly for Rose d'Anjou... grolle means "crow" and it refers to the deep black grape berries.
Luca Ferraris Ruché 200987 points
A tiny Piemontese DOC region around Asti: "Ruché di Castagnole Monferrato" is most likely a product of an 18 century import from Burgundy... Ruché is known for it's peppery-bitter aftertaste.
"Vin Des Seigneurs" Coenfer Mayolet 20889 points
Mayolet is a naturally occurring hybrid of Petit Rouge and Cornalin. It is rare and indigenous to Vallee d'Aosta, where it grows at high elevations (about 900 to 1,000 meters). High minerality, white pepper and sweet, red fruit flavors.
All simply great... and all $20 and under in NYC. I found the Grolleau ($20) and Coenfer "Vin Des Seigneurs" Mayolet ($16) in LES September Wines, which is becoming my favorite wine store in the city. I would also include into this group the Verduno di Pelaverga I had in Bologna last summer... energetic, young but complex, refreshing. These are fantastic lighter fare pasta wines, including fish and seafood... I had Les Cousin recommended with oysters at 10 Bells and it worked really good.
