Variety is the spice

Changing tastes in vintages bring new wines to tip of the tongue

 Even — or especially? — in tough economic times, Bay Area wine lovers enjoy sipping their favorite varietals, and local experts say a number of fresh choices are gaining in popularity.

Among the alternatives gaining ground in the Bay Area are pinot noir, syrah and related Rhone blends, pinot gris and Albariño, according to Andrew Green, the wine and spirits director at Spruce, a San Francisco restaurant. Spruce is operated by the Bacchus Management Group, which also runs the Village Pub in Woodside and four Pizza Antica restaurants in Northern California, in Lafayette, Mill Valley, San Jose and Granite Bay, near Folsom.

“Pinot noir in all its forms is staying very strong, whether from Oregon, California, New Zealand or France,” Green said. “Demand is remaining very strong.”

Pinot gris is a leading alternative to sauvignon blanc, he said, and Albariño, a dry, crisp white wine, is gaining popularity. Originally from Spain’s Rias Baixas wine region, it’s now produced locally in Mendocino, a few places in the Napa and Sonoma valleys, and in the Santa Lucia Highlands ringing Monterey Bay, said Green.