Erin's Wine Book Club: Godforsaken Grapes

There are nearly 1,400 known varieties of wine grapes in the world—from altesse to zierfandler—but 80 percent of the wine we drink is made from only 20 grapes. In Godforsaken Grapes, Jason Wilson looks at how that came to be and embarks on a journey to discover what we miss.

Stemming from his own growing obsession, Wilson moves far beyond the “noble grapes,” hunting down obscure and underappreciated wines from Switzerland, Austria, Portugal, France, Italy, the United States, and

beyond. In the process, he looks at why these wines fell out of favor (or never gained it in the first place), what it means to be obscure, and how geopolitics, economics, and fashion have changed what we drink. A combination of travel memoir and epicurean adventure, Godforsaken Grapes is an entertaining love letter to wine.

All wine book club books can be purchased at the local book shop - Old Town Books! So, help us support an Alexandria small-business and pick up Adventures on the Wine Route at Old Town Books before joining us for the tasting!

At this tasting, we will discuss the stories told in the book while tasting the wines made with the grapes described.

Included with your ticket:

• Seated wine class with Neighborhood Restaurant Group Wine Director, Erin Dudley
• Tasting of six wines made from grapes featured in Godforsaken Grapes
• Small serving of artisanal cheese to accompany your tasting
• Discounts on bottle purchases of all wines tasted

** While we absolutely recommend reading this fantastic book, this tasting will not require the reading beforehand. These stories will be summarized with the tastings **

Host or Publisher Planet Wine Shop