Try six wines with global flavors from these Sonoma County wineries

During the pandemic, traveling across the globe may be impossible. But we still can cultivate our palates as world citizens in our own backyards.

The restless can explore rare bottlings from Sonoma County wineries that are crafting varietals with origins from other countries. Here are six examples to try.

Unti Vineyards, a boutique winery in Healdsburg, brings France to our doorstep with its Rhone-styled rosé, grenache blanc and grenache. It also offers a taste of Italy with its Italian varietals that include fiano, barbera, vermentino and sangiovese.

A varietal I’m particularly fond of is vermentino with its Italian roots in Sardinia and Tuscany. The white is typically dry and medium bodied with notes of lime, grapefruit and green apple. The winery’s current vintage is Unti Vermentino, 2019 Dry Creek Valley at $28.

untivineyards.com, 4202 Dry Creek Road, 707-433-5590

Marimar Estate in Sebastopol gives us a peek into Spain and Portugal with the albariño it produces. Straddling the border between these two countries, the grape has flourished in the northwestern corner of the Iberian Peninsula, dating back to the era of the ancient Romans.

Albariño is known for its crisp acidity and refreshing flavors. It has notes of white peach, zesty lemon and ginger, with a hint of salt. The winery’s current vintage is Marimar Estate Albariño, 2018 Don Miguel, Russian River Valley at $29.

marimarestate.com, 11400 Graton Road, ?707-823-4365

Meanwhile Tiny House Wines in Santa Rosa gives us a glimpse of South Africa with its take on pinotage. This varietal is South Africa’s signature red wine grape, and it’s a gutsy hybrid of cinsault and pinot noir. While the name sounds like it would have a flavor profile similar to pinot noir, it’s actually closer to syrah. It’s rustic, earthy and fruit-driven, a good match for barbecue. The winery offers an interesting twist on the varietal with its crisp and tangy Tiny House, 2019 Rosé of Pinotage at $24.

tinyhousevineyard.com, 707-718-4585

Carlisle Winery takes many on their first foray into Austria with its dry white gruner veltliner. The varietal, primarily grows in Austria. It’s known for its citrusy flavors - lime lemon and grapefruit - and its racy acidity. The winery makes an exceptional version. The current release is the Carlisle, 2018 Sonoma Mountain “Steiner Vineyard” Gruner Veltliner at $29.

carlislewinery.com, 6301 Starr Road, Windsor, 707-566-7700

With Gundlach Bundschu’s take on gewürztraminer, the winery whisks us off to Alsace, France, where the varietal originated. Gewürztraminer has thrived in Alsace for hundreds of years, and the cool climate wine is off dry with a flamboyant bouquet. It has a range of flavors, including honeysuckle, grapefruit, peach and apricot. The winery crafts a unique version with crisp acidity and a dry finish. Its current release is the Gundlach Bundschu, 2019 Sonoma Coast Gewürztraminer at $25.

gunbun.com, ?2000 Denmark Street, Sonoma, 707-938-5277

Rodney Strong Vineyards transports us to France and Argentina with its inky purple malbec. While the varietal has its origins in France, it grows primarily in Argentina today. The jammy wine typically has notes of plum and black cherry with a smoky finish. The winery’s current vintage is Rodney Strong, 2017 Dry Creek Malbec at $35.

rodneystrong.com, 11455 Old Redwood Highway., Healdsburg, ?707-431-1533