Festival of Undiscovered Grapes

My Top 5 Undiscovered Grapes

If you haven't heard of The Festival of Undiscovered Grapes, consider this your introduction to one of my favorite wine events in Los Angeles. I had the opportunity to attend this year's festival, held at the spacious Mica Studios in Downtown LA and I loved every minute.

I'm obsessed with the concept behind this festival. Thousands of grape varieties exist around the world, and more than 110 different varieties are planted right here in California. But of those 110+, just nine varieties dominate the landscape: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, Syrah, and Petit Sirah. Together, those nine grapes account for a staggering 93% of all wine grape plantings in the state. That leaves an entire world of incredible, lesser-known varieties making up just 7% of California's vineyards, and that is exactly what this festival celebrates.

As someone currently studying for my WSET Diploma, this festival was the perfect opportunity to put my coursework into practice. There's nothing quite like tasting through obscure wines with fresh knowledge in your head and a glass in your hand.

The festival takes place annually in both Los Angeles and San Jose. With 60+ wineries pouring in each city and over 130 grape varieties represented, wineries travel from all across California to participate, including regions like Napa, Sonoma, the Sierra Foothills, Lodi, along with my personal favorites of Paso Robles and Santa Barbara.

There were a few food options available and I had the pleasure of trying Hi-Fi Pizza Pi who was on hand serving their signature sourdough crust pies. If you haven't tried their pizza yet, Hi-Fi does pop-up events and catering throughout Los Angeles and Santa Barbara.

Ticket options include General Admission and VIP. With a VIP ticket, you get early access to the festival, a swag bag, and a VIP passport loaded with winery discounts, complimentary tastings, and more. Well worth the upgrade if you want the full experience.

I tasted so many incredible wines throughout the afternoon, but I wanted to highlight my personal favorites from the day. Here is my countdown:

#5:  Petit Verdot (Hitching Post Wines): People rarely seek out single-varietal Petit Verdot, and that is honestly their loss. It is one of my all-time favorite grapes, and I've been quietly building a collection for the ultimate Petit Verdot party. This Hitching Post bottle is going straight into my PV stash.

A Bordeaux native, Petit Verdot is prized as a blending grape for its deep color, firm tannins, and gorgeous violet aromatics, but it's bold enough that most blends use less than 10% of it, making single-varietal bottlings genuinely rare. A few producers in California, Washington, Australia, and beyond are proving it deserves the spotlight on its own.

Expect aromas of plum, lilac, and violet with a beautiful gravelly minerality. If you spot one, grab it (and bring it over to my house).

#4: Cabernet Pfeffer (Thacher Winery & Vineyard): This was my first time trying Cabernet Pfeffer and what a delightful surprise it was. I hadn't discovered a new grape in a while, and this one delivered.

Cabernet Pfeffer is a genuine California original, thought to have been bred in Los Altos Hills in the late 19th century by a winemaker named William Pfeffer. Whether the name honors him or nods to its spicy character ("Pfeffer" is German for pepper) is part of the mystery. Today only a handful of producers work with it, with just around 12 acres planted statewide, making it about as rare as it gets.

Thacher Winery out of Paso Robles focuses on minimal intervention, native ferments, and letting the Central Coast terroir speak for itself: elegance over power. Their Cabernet Pfeffer is 100% single-varietal fruit sourced from Siletto Vineyard in San Benito County. The grape fits their philosophy beautifully: bright cherry fruit, a hint of bitterness, and loads of black pepper and spice, with a lighter body than Cabernet Sauvignon but that same satisfying tannic structure.

#3:  Tannat (Orange Boots Wine):  Tannat is one of those grapes I never get to drink nearly enough of, so whenever I find a great bottle, I make it count. This one from Orange Boots Wine is exactly that.

Orange Boots is a woman-owned, LA-based passion project: 100% hands-on, small-batch, and focused on rare varietals sourced from Santa Barbara, Paso Robles, and Mendocino. Winemaker and founder - Felecia C. Hodges - started as a home winemaker in 2009 and has built something genuinely personal and purposeful. Her varietal choices (Tannat, Negroamaro, Aglianico and more) reflect a philosophy of depth, curiosity, and low-intervention winemaking.

As for Tannat itself, this deeply colored French grape is packed with polyphenols and antioxidants. On the nose, expect rich black currant, red plum, licorice, and hints of smoked meat and black cardamom. On the palate it's full-bodied, dry, and structured with bold, grippy tannins and good acidity, perfect for aging.

#2:  Picpoul Blanc (Adelaida Vineyards & Winery): If you haven't tried Picpoul, let this be your sign. It's an ancient white grape from southern France's Languedoc-Roussillon region, and its name, Pique-poul or "stings the lip," tells you everything you need to know. This is a grape built on bright, mouthwatering acidity.

Adelaida Vineyards is a beautiful fit for it. Nestled in the mountainous terrain of Paso Robles' Adelaida district, they farm organically and let nature lead, crafting wines that genuinely reflect their unique place.

Their Picpoul Blanc fully lives up to its name. The nose is intoxicating with lemon zest and jasmine, while the palate delivers kiwi, grapefruit, and Meyer lemon with a lovely river stone minerality underneath. Light, refreshing, and electric with acidity.

#1:  Grüner Veltliner (Camins 2 Dreams): Grüner is one of those grapes I order whenever I spot it on a menu, so seeing it at this event was a welcome surprise.

Austria's signature white grape is known for its lean, peppery, herbaceous style and high acidity, though it can range from light and zesty to rich and full-bodied depending on where it grows. Citrus, white pepper, fresh herbs, and a bone-dry crispness are its calling cards.

Camins 2 Dreams is a winery worth knowing. Founded in 2017 by wife winemaking duo Tara Gomez (a member of the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians) and Mireia Taribó (from Catalunya), they bring a beautiful mix of heritage and philosophy to their work: minimal intervention, natural ferments, and exclusively organic and biodynamic vineyards in San Benito and Santa Barbara County.

Their Grüner comes from Fiddlestix Vineyard in the cool, marine-influenced Sta. Rita Hills, harvested in two stages to capture the grape's full complexity, then aged in neutral French oak and stainless steel. The result is gorgeous: flint, fennel, white florals, and wet stone on the nose, with vibrant acidity, nice minerality, and a lovely, lingering finish.

Cheers to undiscovered grapes!  Let me know which lesser-known grape varieties are your favorites.