“When men drink, then they are rich and successful and win lawsuits and are happy and help their friends,” Acharnians, 425 B.C.
Buttery daffodils, brightly popping apple blossoms and warmly scented breezes are promising delightful days on the patio, bracingly beautiful barbecues and comforting conviviality with good friends. Bearing that in mind, I began scouring the marketplace with an eye toward perfect summertime fun with wine. Here is my listing of tempting candidates, again using my “A”-“F” scoring scale. Most of these wines are available at better wine stores like Consumer Beverage in Hales Corners, Downer Wines, Sendik’s and Waterford Wines on Brady Street.
1. Groom 2009 Sauvignon Blanc, Adelade, Australia, $15.99: This wine is served in First Class on both United and American Airlines flights, and I found it to have a clean, lightly fruity nose with gentle notes of flowers. It had a light-to-medium body, and its fruity, complex middle with bracing acidity eased into a clean, dry finish. Serve with outdoor grilled chicken. Even though I can’t afford First Class, I graded it a B.
2. Erath Pinot Gris, 2009, Oregon, $13.49: This grayish grape from Oregon also makes Italy’s Pinot Grigios, and it’s one of my favorites. It had a light straw color with medium body, and its medium-deep nose promised fun. Boasting a nicely intense middle with loads of long, deep fruit, it was wonderfully satisfying. I’d suggest pairing it with an elegant cheese like Stilton. Nice! A-
3. Seaglass Riesling 2009, Monterey, Calif., $9.99: With its pale color and medium body, it displayed some richness with subtle notes of apricot. It moved into good, moderately deep fruit with dandy depth and a nicely acidic finish. Nice patio wine with rich cheese like Brie or St. Andre. B+
4. Montes Cherub Rose of Syrah 2008, Chile, $15.99: Rose is made by lightly pressing red grapes (in this case the deeply purple Syrah) until they lend their gracious touch to a finished wine. The Montes had a dusty rose color with lightly heavy body, again from the heavy grape. The deeply intense nose had pronounced hints of nutmeg, blackberries and bramble. It boasted a medium-rich middle with a long, slightly hot finish. I’d suggest pairing it with light barbecued food. B-
5. Jargon Pinot Noir 2008, California, $9.99: Displaying dark ruby hues and heavy body combined with a deeply intense, berryish nose, this wine strutted its stuff with intense fruit and a long, slightly hot finish. Try it with barbecued burgers. B
6. Lunetta (Cavit) Prosecco, Italy, $10.99: When I tried this, I recalled Dom Pérignon’s (The purported discoverer of Champagne) line when sampling, “I’m drinking stars!” This vigorously frothy and fun sparkler was pale and practically white. Its deeply fruity nose led into a teasingly fruity middle and a delightful, refreshing finish. Enjoy al fresco with friends! A+
Today’s winner was the Lunetta Prosecco, which barely bested Erath’s Pinot Gris.
The price/value winner was the Sea Glass Riesling.
To a grand summer!
