The Century Club

No, I'm not trying to live to be 100 years old, but that would be nice!

I was introduced to a new way to stimulate my wine education and have fun at the same time--it is The Wine Century Club. 

It is a club for people who have tried wines made from 100 different grapes. 

What a novel idea. 

Most people don't realize that there are more than 5,000 different varieties of grapes in the world. Most are made into some kind of wine somewhere. 

The big Bordeaux red varietals are--Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Pinot Verdot, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc. Lot's of people know these wines. And the basic whites of Chardonnay, Pinot Gris. Sauvignon Blanc, and Riesling are also well known. 

But sampling wines made from 100 different grapes it truly a task that requires some planning and thinking. I have good records of the wines I have bought and consumed. By going back through my records, I can document only 89 different grapes from which I have enjoyed wines. I was disappointed, but now I have a new quest.

Of the 89 grapes from which I have enjoyed wines, I am most embarrassed that I have had wine made from the Concord grape--the same one that is used in grape jelly and the Catawba grape. I am excited, however, that I have had wines made from grapes grown in Georgia (the country), Israel, South Africa, and Uganda in addition to the better know wine growing regions in the world.

So I have 11 grapes to go to join The Century Club. I think I am going to enjoy this quest. Why not join me?

-- Bob and Christina Doan, Elkridge, MD