Sales of all alcoholic beverages worldwide have collapsed partly due to the fact that many former regular wine consumers are simply getting tired of the same old flavors.

There are other reasons, too. In the last two years, anti-alcohol forces have raised a ruckus, some arguing that alcohol poses a risk to health. There has also been a serious consumer backlash against the high pricing of ordinary wines.

The downturn in wine sales has been a hot topic among wine industry veterans for at least two years. After the 2024 harvest, which was just concluded in North America, sales of wine grapes suffered badly.

In Napa and Sonoma counties, industry experts estimate that well over 20% of the grapes grown for wine went unharvested because of a lack of buyers. Several small wineries had so much in inventory from previous years that they decided not to make any wine in 2024 at all!

Declining wine sales is nothing new for this industry. We face these downturns on a regular basis, generally about once a generation. They almost always cure themselves, but not without a lot of hand-wringing and lost revenue.

Fortunately, however, fine wine has not been asleep at the switch and knows about consumers' growing boredom with everyday varieties like chardonnay and cabernet. And now offer alternatives.

Some of these wines will not be in supermarkets. Big box stores rarely have enough wine expertise to purchase slightly obscure wines that do not turn a rapid profit. But fine wine stores appreciate the alternatives and stock them. Here are a few ideas:

Gruner Veltliner: This usually light, elegant white wine grows primarily in cool to cold climates. It's native to Austria, and some say it is not unlike riesling. I prefer to say its aromas are slightly like sauvignon blanc.

Industry people usually drop the second word, calling it simply Gruner (groo-ner). Though it is usually dry, sweeter versions can be delightful. In the United States, probably just two dozen wineries produce a Gruner. Two of the best are from Reustle Prayer Rock in Oregon's Umpqua Valley and Galen Glen from Lehigh Valley, Pa.

Blaufrankisch: This medium-weight red wine with an odd name is also called lemberger, which is not only confusing but also sounds like an assertive cheese to which it is unrelated. Its blueberry aromas give it a sort of pinot noir-like character.

Also similar to pinot noir is blaufrankisch's silky texture, making is a delightful, more deeply flavored wine than Beaujolais, to which I've seen it compared.

The most reliable quality blaufrankisch in this country is from Left Foot Charley in Michigan, but New York's Finger Lakes arena also makes many quality examples.

Carignane: A grape called California's workhorse red because it often is the major component in assertive blends, it is full-flavored and hearty.

Assyrtiko: A slightly spicy, aromatic white wine with attractive flavors, not unlike pinot gris. The most interesting versions come from Greece, where it is a native variety.

Pinot Blanc: An attractive white wine from cooler regions of France (such as Alsace and Alto Adige), this grape has been compared with chardonnay. When grown in a cooler climate, it stands on its own without help from aging in oak barrels.

Wine of the Week: 2023 Girasole Pinot Blanc, Mendocino County ($16) — This delightful, delicate white wine is made by Barra of Mendocino and has always been a crowd-pleasing sipping wine for the patio or the pool deck. Fresh with an aroma of pear and peach with a hint of kiwi. A wonderful summer sipper.

Dan Berger lives in Sonoma County, California, where he publishes "Vintage Experiences," a weekly wine newsletter. Write to him at winenut@gmail.com. To find out more about Dan Berger and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate webpage at www.creators.com.

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