|
Posted by Robert Whitley on June 12, 2013 at 10:32 AM
I remember a sidewalk cafe on a warm, humid summer day near the historic hotel Le Cep in Beaune, the spiritual center of France's Burgundy district.
One glance at the wine list and my heart sank — Burgundy as far as the eye could see. Under normal circumstances, the offerings of white Burgundy would have been a welcome sight. But on this occasion, with a bright sun beating down, I longed for a cold, crisp, light white wine. Or a rose. Yes, indeed, wine has its seasons, and we are entering a period that calls for gruner veltliner, sauvignon blanc, rose wines from the south of France or the Central Coast of California; or refreshing prosecco from Northern Italy when in the mood for a bubbly.
Gruner, of course, is the Austrian white that is currently in vogue. It typically exhibits bracing acidity with notes of citrus. Gruner is often consumed with steamed or grilled shellfish, but it's delicious on its own and a refreshing palate-pleaser when served well chilled on a warm day. Pfaffl, from a family estate just outside of Vienna, is first-rate and runs about $20. Perhaps the finest domestic gruner is Zocker, made in California's Edna Valley, also costing about $20.
Sauvignon blanc is grown the world over, though it seems to do best in Bordeaux and the Loire Valley regions of France, New Zealand and coastal California. Pascal Jolivet is a trusted source for Sancerre, and it runs about $25 in most parts of the country. Cloudy Bay is the most renowned of all the New Zealand sauvignons, but you will pay upward of $30 when you can find it. For value, few California sauvignons can outshine the Dry Creek Vineyard Fume Blanc at about $14.
Rose wines are difficult to recommend because production of the top wines is generally limited. I enjoy the hunt and am always on the lookout for a good rose. The Eberle winery in Paso Robles produces a delicious rose made from syrah grapes, and it costs $16. If you have a generous budget, then try Domaines Ott from the Provence region in the south of France. It should be in the $40 range.
Prosecco is perfect for summer sipping because it's lighter than Champagne and most domestic bubbly, and generally less expensive. My favorites are Adami and Bisol, each a producer well regarded for exceptional quality. You should be able to source either one for $20 or less.
|
 |
 Petite Sirah is the red-meat wine of California; when it's done right a hefty, rich, flavorful red that is an excellent mate for a think steak from the grill, hearty meat stews, and rich meat dishes such as lamb osso buco. Foppiano has long had a deft hand with Petite Sirah, and in recent vintages has mastered the art of extracting all of the flavor and color that Petite has to give without the mouth-puckering tannins that have long kept Petite out of the mainstream of American cuisine. The vintage exhibits lush black fruits, with smooth tannins and a generous whiff of vanilla spice. Yummy stuff. And just in time to fire up the barbecue! 91 Robert Whitley
|
|
|
 |
 |
| |
 |
Michael Franz
Lovers of the great Nebbiolo-based wines of Barolo and Barbaresco have never had it so good. And I mean never. Outstanding vintages were relatively rare in these appellations for the century leading up to the mid-1990s, occurring perhaps two or three years out of each decade. However, since 1996, every single year except 2002 has been at least very good, and absolutely superb vintages were seen in 1996, 1999, 2001, 2004, and 2006. Having just blind-tasted dozens of new releases of 2010 Barbaresco, it now seems likely that this year will join the other 5 to be regarded as a genuinely great year.
|
 |
Ed McCarthy
In 1872, Josep Raventós of the Codorníu Raventós family from Catalonia made Spain's first bottle of sparkling wine using the traditional method (second fermentation taking place in the bottle). Today these wines are known world-wide as Cavas. The Codorníu company, the oldest family-owned business in Spain, itself dates back to 1551, when Jaume Codorníu planted the family's first vineyards in Sant Sadurní, outside of Barcelona. When Anna de Codorníu married Miquel Raventós in 1659, the name of the company officially became Codorníu Raventós, although it is known to the world as Codorníu.
|
|
that the fastest way to reach gustatory nirvana is by banging whole steamed crabs with a mallet and picking out the meat, or simmering fresh crabmeat in a soup, or slipping a sautéed soft shell crab into a sandwich. But when there's a special wine to be savored, crab cakes make the miracle match, especially when they're garnished with a dollop of tarragon-spiked aioli.
|
Mary Ewing-MulliganBy now you might have heard the story: How the owners of two iconic Napa Valley wineries critically acclaimed for Cabernet and Chardonnay abandoned their comfort zone to establish another winery producing only Pinot Noir -- and not in Napa Valley but in Sonoma County. When I heard that news four years ago, I was more than a bit surprised. Far Niente, one of the two wineries, is an elite Napa Valley wine estate; the other, Nickel & Nickel -- a sister winery dedicated to making vineyard-designated Cabernets (thirteen of them, along with Chardonnay, Merlot and some Zinfandel and Syrah) from the grapes of respected growers -- hit the ground running with its first vintage in 1997. Many winery owners with that much success would stop there.
|
|
|
|
The Journey to Fine Pinot Noir