Author: Eva Crawford

Earlier this year on January 31, wine lovers gathered in down town San Jose for the Festival of Undiscovered Grapes, an immer sive wine-tasting celebration highlighting the world's rare and lesser-known grape varieties. The event drew local residents and visitors eager to explore beyond familiar varietals like Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardon nay, and Pinot Noir. Instead, guests sipped wines made from "underdog" grapes — including Semillon, Teroldego, Tannant, Bourbolenc, Cinsault, and Trous seau — representing more than 110 unique winegrape varieties grown in California....

With dozens of wineries pour ing their distinctive selections, attendees wandered the room sampling bold reds, aromatic whites, and intriguing blends that many had never encountered before. Wine producers from across the state were on hand to share stories of their vineyards and the heritage of these less er-known grapes, offering insight into the diversity of California's wine landscape....

Allison Levine, president of Please the Palate, and Chris Kern, founder of the Forgotten Grapes Wine Club, are thrilled to announce the second annual Festival of Forgotten Grapes on Saturday, March 29, 2025, at Mica Studios in Los Angeles's Boyle Heights neighborhood....

After a successful inaugural event last year, Levine and Kern are excited to once again shine a spotlight on wine grape varieties that are often "forgotten" in the world of California wine and showcase an impressive group of wineries championing these lesser...

All in all, 2024's Festival of Forgotten Grapes featured many amazing wines. Most importantly, however, it shone light on hundreds of dozens of special grapes, inspiring wine lovers to explore and appreciate all kinds of new wines. Given that this year's event was the first of many, we're excited to see how the festival continues to grow....