As passionate wine drinkers, we always seem to be in search of the next big region. Every taster is like a talent agent, in search of the next star – a proverbial Miley Cyrus or Zac Efron of oenological goodness. The 90’s saw the rise of Australia’s Barossa Valley Shiraz and California’s super-ripe Zinfandel. High alcohol and juicy fruit were at an all-time high, as the world developed an insatiable thirst for the most hedonistic, gluttonous of wines. Just a decade later, these wines are seemingly passé. Palates have expanded to Newer Worlds, with Chile’s Sauvignon Blanc and Argentina’s Malbec the preferred bottles to be seen with. It’s no coincidence that these wines have risen in popularity as the economy has tanked – they provide great value and loads of fruit flavor that everyone seems to appreciate. While these are the current superstars, the world’s palate has begun to make a shift with a redounded appreciation for terroir. Out of fashion are the over-oaked fruit bombs of yesterday, and in style are the balanced, food-friendly wines that the Old World has been appreciating for years.

This begs the question: what will the next big region be? I’ll tell you what it should be – the white wines of Savoie, France…