We recently picked six grapes that are helping to change the way we drink wine. Six varieties having a moment, so to speak. These are the ones we believe you should know more about and keep an eye out for.
These rising stars are not new varieties. Most have been cultivated for centuries. What is changing is how they are being grown, the styles of wine they are being used to make and, perhaps most importantly, the way they are being perceived.
As a result, they are gaining renewed attention from winemakers and wine drinkers alike. It is a shift we believe is set to continue.
But what is leading these six grapes into the spotlight? And why are wine drinkers being drawn to varieties that, until recently, may have received far less attention?
Each of our six picks has followed a different path. Some are emerging from famous blends or having outdated reputations challenged by independent, modern winemakers. Others are finding new relevance as tastes change, or benefiting from a growing interest in local grapes with a strong connection to place.
Here, we take a closer look at each one and explore why its moment may finally have arrived.
1. Xarel-lo: Stepping Out From the Bubbles
There is a good chance you have already drunk Xarel-lo without realising it. As one of the three traditional grapes used in Cava, it has long contributed the body and freshness behind Catalunya’s best-known fizz.
But Xarel-lo is increasingly being given room to stand alone, especially in still white wines. Here, its texture, savoury character and naturally fresh profile become far easier to appreciate. Rather than supporting the bubbles, its potential as the main event is becoming much clearer.
This also reflects a wider confidence among Penedès producers, who are placing greater emphasis on local grapes with a genuine connection to the region.
Why it matters now
Xarel-lo shows how a grape previously synonymous with sparkling wine can reinvent itself.
Our Xarel-lo pick: Endogen, by Finca Mas Perdut
2. Cabernet Franc: Finding Fame Beyond the Blend
Cabernet Franc is hardly an unknown quantity. It has played an important role in Bordeaux blends for centuries and has long been the leading red grape in parts of the Loire. Yet internationally, it has often found itself overshadowed by its more famous relative, Cabernet Sauvignon.
That view is beginning to feel increasingly outdated. Cabernet Franc can produce fragrant, fresh and herbaceous reds, often with less weight and tannin than many Cabernet Sauvignon wines. As drinkers show greater appetite for lighter and more energetic reds, those qualities are becoming increasingly interesting.
Its growing profile in New York adds another dimension. Producers across the state are creating distinct expressions shaped by their own climates and landscapes, giving Cabernet Franc an increasingly important regional identity.
As styles continue to evolve, this is a grape variety we’re likely to be seeing more and more of.
Why it matters now
Cabernet Franc offers character and complexity, in fresher more fragrant styles that increasingly suit the way we want to drink wine.
Our Cab Franc pick: Cabernet Franc, by Fjord Vineyards
3. Moscato: Escaping Its Sweet Reputation
Moscato has no shortage of international recognition. Asti in Italy, Vins Doux Naturels in France, and Rutherglen in Australia. Three very different styles of wine, joined by a common thread - combining sweetness in varying degrees with Moscato’s distinctive floral and fruity aromas.
Yet Moscato is far more versatile than its reputation suggests. As part of the wider Muscat family, it contains several distinct varieties, capable of producing dry, sweet, still, sparkling and fortified wines.
A new generation of producers is changing how Moscato is viewed, using its naturally expressive qualities in more adventurous ways, including pét-nat and skin-contact wines. These styles are perfect to preserve Moscato’s unmistakable aromatic character, while presenting it in a much drier, more modernised form.
This is helping Moscato reach a different audience, including through producers in less expected wine regions such as Uruguay. And as attitudes continue to change, expect Moscato’s appeal to expand even further.
Why it matters now
Moscato demonstrates how modern winemaking can challenge a grape’s established reputation without changing what makes it distinctive.
Our Moscato pick: Simple pet-nat by Nakkal
4. Chenin Blanc: A Great Grape Being Taken Seriously Again
Chenin Blanc has never lacked ability. Natural high in acidity and full of flavour, it is also capable of producing white wines that can age for decades. In the Loire, it has produced serious dry, sparkling and sweet wines for centuries. And it's deeply established in South Africa, where it remains one of the country’s most important grapes.
Its challenge, perhaps, has been its sheer versatility and its inability to carve out one easily recognisable signature style. Chenin can be lean and citrusy, rich and textured, sparkling or sweet. That's difficult to understand and relate to for the more casual wine drinker.
But developments in knowledge and technique are all helping Chenin achieve the recognition it deserves. South Africa’s old vines, in particular, are now responsible for many of the country’s most highly regarded examples. In other cases, minimal-intervention led winemaking is allowing the pure qualities of the grapes to shine through.
At its best, Chenin combines intense flavours, freshness and textural richness. It is this balance, rather than one particular method of winemaking, that makes the grape feel so relevant today.
Why it matters now
Chenin Blanc can deliver the freshness modern drinkers want without sacrificing texture or complexity.
Our Chenin Blanc pick: La Baignade by Les Errances
5. Cinsault: When Lighter Becomes an Advantage
Cinsault is another grape that has spent much of its history in a supporting role. In Provence, it has commonly appeared in blends and rosé, valued for the freshness and fragrance it can contribute.
Whilst its lighter colour and softer structure were not previously considered the foundations of a serious red wine, today, those same characteristics are part of its appeal. As tastes shift towards fresher, more fragrant and less heavily extracted reds, Cinsault has suddenly become remarkably current.
As a result, we’re starting to see more ambitious single-varietal Cinsaults from a greater range of producers, especially in the Languedoc, South Africa, and Lebanon to name a few. Fresh, fruity, floral wines that are perfect to serve lightly chilled.
Why it matters now
Cinsault proves that a red wine does not need deep colour or heavy tannins to have personality.
Our Cinsault pick: Fantazia by Domaine La Lauzeta
6. Arneis: Revealing Another Side of Piedmont
Our final pick may well be the least familiar. Arneis is an indigenous white grape from the world-renowned Piedmont region in north-west Italy, an area whose international reputation rests overwhelmingly on red wines. Nebbiolo, Barbera and Dolcetto tend to dominate this part of the world.
Closely associated with Roero, Arneis offers a different view of the region. It produces wines with fruit, floral aromas and enough texture to feel more substantial than many simple, fresh Italian whites.
Its increasing appeal also reflects a wider curiosity about local grapes with a strong connection to the place they’re from. Arneis may never rival Nebbiolo for fame, but it gives adventurous drinkers another reason to explore Piedmont.
Why it matters now
Arneis shows that even the world’s most famous wine regions can still contain relatively undiscovered stories.
Our Arneis pick: Arajs by Pedemontis
What These Grapes Tell Us About Wine Today
These six grapes may be enjoying renewed attention for different reasons, but some clear patterns connect them.
Xarel-lo, Cabernet Franc and Cinsault show how grapes previously associated with a supporting role or a particular type of wine can develop a stronger identity of their own. Moscato and Chenin Blanc demonstrate how familiar varieties can find new relevance when producers challenge established perceptions and explore different expressions. Arneis, meanwhile, reflects a growing curiosity about local grapes and the smaller, less familiar stories hidden within famous wine regions.
Together, they point towards a wine culture that is becoming less dependent on prestige and instantly recognisable names. In their place, we are giving more attention to freshness, local identity, authenticity and a clear sense of personality.
Want to discover these six grapes in more detail?
We selected one expression of each grape for our recent Rising Stars members box. Explore the individual wines featured in this article, or join the Wildcase wine club to discover more of the grapes, regions and independent winemakers we believe deserve greater attention.
