When shopping for wine, casual drinkers or even connoisseurs may gravitate towards brands from regions widely recognized for their spirits: Bordeaux, France; Napa Valley, California; or Tuscany, Italy. But venturing into lesser-known territory might yield unexpected and delectable experiences—some even reminiscent of the familiar terroirs and viticultures avid imbibers are already acquainted with. 

Uruguay 

Nabilah Rawji, the Toronto-based founder of Vinopath, a luxury, private sommelier service, provides some insight. She points to Uruguay as one of those under-the-radar regions. For those who don’t necessarily want to leave their comfort zone, Rawji says these wines aren’t totally unfamiliar. In fact, grape varieties traditionally grown in Bordeaux are also grown in Uruguay.   

“The climate is incredibly similar,” says Rawji. “Bordeaux is famous for having [a type of] gravel soil, and a proximity to the Atlantic Ocean makes it a very mild maritime climate. Uruguay has a very similar situation; you have a broad river that provides a maritime influence and you have similar soil types that have a long-enough growing season.”  

Tannat, a red wine grape originally grown in France, is a Uruguayan specialty. In the U.S. and Europe, this grape is mostly used for blending, but Uruguay pioneered the use of tannat in single variety wines. 

The grapes in Uruguay, however, are not limited to French varieties. Rawji explains, “They also do some grapes that are originally Spanish in origin, like albarino.” She adds that this doesn’t mean the wines are the same as the ones you’ll find in France or Spain: “Their climate makes it such that these wines are approachable but still have their own identity completely separate from where else they’re done.” 

Chile

Elsewhere in South America, Chile is known for wine, with the average wine-drinker likely more familiar with a basic cabernet with roots in Santiago. But there are places within the country, farther south and further north, that are newer to the scene and may be surprising wine hotspots because of their more extreme weather conditions.

One example is Huasco Valley, close to the northern Atacama Region. It may be a desert valley, but it benefits from the cooling qualities of the nearby Pacific Ocean. The region is known for the grapes used in the making of pisco, which are also commonly grown in nearby Copiapo. In terms of red wine, Syrah—or shiraz—grapes are also grown in the valley’s vineyards.   

In the southern part of the country, Bío Bío Valley is situated in a cooler climate with lots of rainfall. From this region, Wine Tourism recommends opting for a riesling, a traditionally German wine. Pinot noir grapes also proliferate here. Both are high-acid wines, which do well in cool weather. “In a lot of these places, Chile included, you find that people are exploring some real marginal climates and places where they can do cool climate viticulture.” 

Rawji adds that a younger demographic, including millennials, are opting for lighter wines that are “more acid-driven,” which she says “fit the more diverse and casual occasions where these generations are enjoying wines—picnics, parks, everyday drinks.” That, and younger generations are looking to reduce their alcohol consumption.

In the Chilean part of Patagonia, windy and dry Chile Chico is home to what’s been dubbed the world’s southernmost vineyard. According to International Wine Challenge, grapes for the 2022 Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay from this region were pressed the old-fashioned way: stomping. Because the area doesn’t get much rainfall, there weren’t many grapes to work with. 

“You get Pinot Noir, you get Chardonnay and you get some of these recognizable grape varieties, but being done at…the southern tip of the world,” Rawji says. 

China

Venturing farther, China may not be top of mind for a western wine connoisseur, but the country produces an immense amount. To wit: A particularly swanky wine called Ao Yun is sold for a steep CAD$596 (USD$436) at the LCBO in Ontario. The cabernet sauvignon blend comes from a Himalayan vineyard near Tibet in the country’s high-altitude Yunnan province, and is fairly new. China’s first vintage, from 2013, only made it to market in 2017.  

There are hundreds of other wineries across China: Ningxia is perhaps one of the best-known regions, located in the Gobi desert in the northwest part of the country. Summers are hot but the temperature drops significantly in the winter, with vines requiring immersion in topsoil for months to protect them from the freezing cold. Like Uruguay, the region grows Bordeaux grapes; in 2011, local Bordeaux blend Jia Bei Lan had a historic win at the Decanter World Wine Awards, which is still considered a global breakthrough moment for the region’s wine industry.

“In terms of Chinese wines, we see a little bit of it [here in Canada],” Rawji says. “That’s a genuinely emerging market that’s focusing on luxury wines.”

India

India is also relatively new to the wine market, with production beginning in the 1980s. Though it was prevalent during British rule and in ancient times, wine production waned for centuries. Nowadays, though, in the city of Nashik,in the western state of Maharashtra, is often dubbed the “Wine Capital of India.” But Rawji says that even though a fair amount of time has passed since the ‘80s, India’s viticulture is still “experimental.” 

“Mapping out viticulture in a place with unique climate and weather patterns—monsoons, high heat and humidity—can take many decades to fully sort [out] what works and where,” she says. Experts tout the distinct qualities that these circumstances can give the wines—including Wine Savvy Magazine, which outlines the taste profiles of several of the grapes originating in India. For example, the fruity Anab-e-Shahi, a white wine grape, is one of the varieties that has acclimatized to the tropical conditions.      

Ultimately, Rawji says the proliferation of wine from all of these emerging regions leads “to a wealth of new wine experiences, from less considered food and wine pairings to bringing many more folks into the enjoyment of wine.” Which also means there’s more room for experimentation and less concern for tradition.  For more thought-provoking stories and exclusive content, subscribe to 3 magazine’s print and digital editions today!