Ruche not OK?

It's a while since we updated the Slotovino Hall of fame but we are continually testing varieties with a view to inclusion or exclusion.

Not wanting to be accused of favouring the obscure because of its obscurity we are quite strict about which varieties we admit and which are left outside the door.

In the case of the Ruche grape of Piemonte, we have experience of only one example so the decision to exclude it could be reversed by the arrival of a better bottle. This may well happen as it has done in the case of Grignolino, also from Piemonte. Victor Hazan puts it extremely well when discussing that grape saying that more than with most others vintage, grape selection and vinification are crucial if the virtues of this variety are to be brought out at all. This has certainly been our experience with a Grignolino of the highly regarded house of Pio Cesare, specifically recommended by Hazan being mysteriously disappointing. "On ne sait jamais avec ces choses" as the ancient and grizzled Maire des Chais of Chateau Lascombes said on announcing that he had made a wine which could be sold as such in the disastrous year of 1963.

So here is an updated Slotovino Hall of Fame list of grapes in our pantheon of those meriting our attention. You will be surprised by the inclusion of Muller-Thurgau, Kerner and the two Incrocio Manzonis, white and red but somehow these lowly crossings seem to have come of age, so many delicious examples we have tasted in Italy especially and England in the case of Kerner (Astley 'Veritas'). Perhaps vine age has something to do with it. That and greater knowledge and experience with the varieties.

There is at least one variety so obscure that it has no name yet. It is a crossing between Melon de Bourgogne and Chardonnay and goes into a wine called Macon-Ige and is available from Hendersons, Edinburgh.

Whites:

Antao Vaz
Auxerrois
Bombino (Trebbiano d'Abruzzo)
Doradilla
Elbling
Encruzado
Goldriesling
Gringet
Incrocio Manzoni
Johanniter
Kerner
Koshu
Loin de l'Oieul
Loueiro
Malvasia Istriana
Mauzac
Muller Thurgau
Ondenc
Ortrugo
Pecorino
Perlé
Pignoletto
Spergola
Torbato
Trajadura/Treixadura
Verduzzo
Vilana
Welschriesling (Riesling Italico)
Xarel-Lo
Zlahtina

Reds:

Albarossa
Ancelotta
Argaman
Baga
Blauer Wildbacher
Canaiolo
Casavecchia
Casetta
Cornalin
Dornfelder
Folle noire
Francisi
Gascon
Graciano
Grignolino
Grolleau
Gropello
Incrocio Manzoni
Maglioppo
Marselan
Mencia
Negrara
Nerello Capuccio
Osoleta
Palagrello Nero
Perricone (aka. Pignatello)
Persan
Piedirosso
Pineau d'Aunis
Plavac Mali
Poulsard
Prieto Picudo
Pugnitello
Raboso
Ramisco
Romé
Rossese
Saperavi
Schioppettino
Sciacarello
Tinto Cão
Tinta Negramoll
Uva di Troia
Vermentino Nero
Vernaccia Nera
Vranec