This Summer's Most Refreshing Rosé

When rosés are good they're very, very good--but when they're bad they're horrible. Thankfully, I've had many good rosés this summer. And the one that I keep buying more of is the excellent QPR 2008 A to Z Wineworks Rosé ($12.49 from my local grocery store; $10 direct from the winery). This was one of those serendipitous discoveries. I wasn't looking for a rosé or any wine at all, to be honest. But there it was, sitting on the shelf in the supermarket.

What caught my eye at first was its deep rose color. Not magenta, not deep salmon--true rose. Oddly enough, this color is rare among rosés. So I took a bottle home and I've been hooked ever since.

The 2008 A to Z Wineworks Rosé is a lovely, full-bodied but dry rosé made from Sangiovese grapes. It has an intriguing mixture of fruit, herb, and vegetable flavors and aromas. Imagine a wine that combined raspberry, strawberry, parsley, and cucumber notes. Now imagine how refreshing and crisp that combination would be. That's exactly what this wine represented to me, and with the temperatures still high and the sun out it's a combination that seems to fit the way we're living now.

I wasn't familiar with A to Z Wineworks so I got on the 'net and did some surfing. They have a great website, and their motto is "Aristocratic wines at democratic prices." Standing behind the name is a dynamite team of Oregon's best winemakers, including Bill Hatcher (formerly of Domaine Drouhin), Sam Tannahill (formerly of Archery Summit), and Cheryl Francis (formerly of Chehalem). They make a full lineup of wines, including Pinot Noir, and not one of them retails for more than $20. So check them out and get a mixed case of Riesling, Pinot Blanc, and other goodies to get you through the fall. And don't forget this great rosé. It's terrific now, and will be just as good with turkey sandwiches in November.

Summer Breeze of a Wine: the 2008 Dry Creek Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc

The heat is on and in an attempt to cool down, many of us are reaching for white wines that can take a bit of a chill and remain flavorful. It helps cool you down if the white wine in question has a zingy, refreshing array of aromas and flavors. Finding this kind of wine and sipping it after a long day can feel like imbibing a cool breeze.

If you're looking for such a wine, look no further than the 2008 Dry Creek Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc (available for $14-$19). This is a new take on an old favorite, since Dry Creek Vineyards have been making Sauvignon Blanc from Dry Creek Valley fruit since the early 1970s under the name "Fumé Blanc" in a nod to the Loire's white wines. Beginning with 2008, however, they are labeling the wine "Sauvignon Blanc."

The wine is a domestic Sauvignon Blanc that can hold its head up among zingy New Zealand bottlings, but has a bit more softness and is far less assertive. The juice never sees oak, and the softness in the wine comes from a small amount of Sauvignon Musqué that is added to the final blend. The wine has beautiful, luscious aromas of grass, hay, melon, and citrus. You will find the same notes in the flavors, with the melon and citrus taking a front seat which makes the wine very refreshing. The aftertaste takes those hay and grass notes and turns them herbal, and the freshness lingers nicely in your mouth.

I think if you tasted this blind, you might at first mistake it for a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc--especially in its aromas. As the wine opens and the flavors develop, though, you get more melon and floral notes that add to the complexity. Excellent QPR.

This wine would be perfect with seafood, chicken, or salads--in short, the kinds of food we are all eating now as the Farmers Markets fill with produce and the prospect of turning on the stove seems very unappealing.

Kudos to the folks at Dry Creek Vineyards for breathing new life into an old favorite, and for showcasing all that the Dry Creek Valley has to offer in terms of quality and value.

Full Disclosure: I received this wine as a sample.

Fourplay: the Italian Blend with the Naughty Name

Normally, I'm not a fan of cutesy wine names. Just tell me the grapes in the bottle, and make good wine. However, there are many, many people who do buy wines because of the name or the packaging (remember Bitch Grenache??). No matter if you're a fuddy-duddy like me, or someone who likes tongue-in-cheek wine service, I've got a bottle for you to check out: the 2007 Dievole Fourplay (suggested retail $14.99; available for $11-$14)

This is a terrific Sicilian red wine made from a blend of equal amounts of Nero d'Avola, Nerello Mascalese, Frappato Nero, and Nerello Cappucio. Luscious aromas and flavors of cherry, blackberry, and licorice are accompanied by a smoky tobacco note. And the licorice is what made the wine stand out for me, and consider it to be excellent QPR. The wine is still a bit tight and young, so give it some time to open up with help of some air (via vigorous swirling or decanting) or buy a case of it and drink it over the next two years.

Dievole's Fourplay is an excellent pizza and pasta wine, with enough cherry fruit to make it good as a stand-alone sipper, too. But I'd advise pulling it out to go with your mushroom pizza, some spaghetti with meatballs, or any other traditional Italian fare that involves a tomato.

Full Disclosure: I received this wine as a sample.

Does the Job Perfectly: A Huckleberry of a Petite Sirah

"I will pay you for whatever you do for me."

"Then I'm your huckleberry. Who are you and what do you want to know?"

Edward Stratemeyer, True to Himself (1900)

I always wondered where the phrase "I'm your huckleberry" came from. I started wondering again when I drank my first glass of the oh-so-huckleberry 2008 The Crusher Petite Sirah, made by Don Sebastiani & Sons ($12.99, suggested retail; available in market for $12-$16)

Turns out, in early 20th-century slang, a "huckleberry" was the perfect person for a given job. If you're looking for a wine that delivers great fruit, nice acidity, and excellent complexity at an affordable price, then this wine will do the job perfectly--with excellent QPR.

The wine had a deep, rich purple color with enticing aromas of sweet huckleberry pie, herbs, and eucalyptus. Flavors of deep, smoky huckleberry and blackberry, with high notes of blueberry, make this wine juicy and fruit forward without being cloying or jammy. The spices on the finish reminded me of allspice, and the relatively low alcohol for Petite Sirah (13.5%) made this a wine that you could drink throughout dinner without regretting it the next day. All in all, a stunningly good example of the variety, especially for the price.

Pair this wine with anything you'd have with Syrah--like macaroni and cheese, pulled pork, barbecued chicken, or ribs--and drink it over the next year or so to enjoy its fresh, fruity flavors.

Full Disclosure: I received this wine as a sample.

Now THAT'S What I'm Looking for in New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc

Snap. Crackle. Pop.

That's what I'm looking for when I open a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. I remember my first bottles from Marlborough, and how they blew my tastebuds away with their clarity and clean lines. Then the aggression emerged--too much boxwood and cat pee, too much grass, too tart.

As soon as I opened the 2008 Drylands Sauvignon Blanc I knew I was in for a treat. Gooseberries, lemon, and herbs wafted right out of the bottle. After I drank it I checked my notes to be sure. My suspicions were confirmed. This is the most exciting New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc I've tasted this year. (suggested retail $17.50; currently available for $12-$22)

This wine snaps, crackles, and pops with life. The aromas absolutely bowl you over--citrus, gooseberry, herbs and--as it opens up--flowers. The intriguing floral note in the wine's aromas carries through in the palate, which is resoundingly tart and fresh, tingling over your tongue. A deeper, blood orange note creeps into the aftertaste. This wine represents excellent QPR, and is fully worth the suggested retail price.

This wine has the pizzazz to stand up to Mexican or other spicy cuisine. We had it with a Southwestern Tortilla Salad and its fresh citrus and herbal notes were lovely with the lively flavors of the food--and something wonderful happened when the wine combined with the cilantro. Somehow, the Sauvignon Blanc muted the assertiveness that cilantro can sometimes have, while keeping it bright.

If you see this wine, grab it.

Full Disclosure: I received this wine as a sample.

I Have Seen the Future of Wine--And It's Alsace

As someone who focuses on wine values, I've always got my eye out for wine regions that produce excellent wines at affordable prices. Sometimes they're up-and-coming new wine regions. Sometimes, however, I "discover" a wine region that is steeped in tradition but which, for some reason, seems to be flying under the radar of press and consumers. In both cases I feel like I've seen a glimpse of the future, and that it's only a matter of time before more people catch on and start seeking out the region's wines.

I recently caught just such a glimpse of the future when I was invited to taste wines from the northern Alsace made under the Helfrich label. That's Frederic Helfrich to the right, who works with winemaker Benoit Pattin to craft wines that are true to the region's style and aren't manipulated to taste like wines from somewhere else.

As "discoveries" go, this qualifies as one that was just sitting under my nose. They've been growing grapes--mainly white wine grapes--in the Alsace for at least two thousand years along a stretch of French countryside between the Vosges Mountains and the Rhine River that has swapped allegiances a number of times. In some areas, German is spoken. In other areas, French is the native tongue. What this means is that Alsace wines blend tradition, innovation, and diversity. They also taste great, and are extremely affordable given the quality of what's produced.

I am a huge fan of Riesling and Gewürztraminer, which makes up about 40% of the grapes grown in the Alsace. Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, and Pinot Noir are also well-represented, and thrive in the region's soil and climate. The region has three AOCs (Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée): Alsace, Alsace Grand Cru and Crémant d'Alsace. Well known winemakers from the region include Trimbach, Hugel & Fils, and Domaine Zind-Humbrecht.

But it's worth seeking out wines made by less familiar names. The region is home to hundreds of producers who are making wines with plenty of personality that have an attractive price tag. Helfrich's wines, for example, come in two price tiers: an entry level wine that is $14.99 (and drinks like a $30 wine) and a Grand Cru series that retails for $24.99 (while tasting like a $50 wine).

Here were a few standouts from my tasting. Alsatian wines are perfect for summer--refreshing, aromatic, and flavorful--but I can imagine many other occasions when they would be great to have on hand, such as Thanksgiving, Easter, with clam chowder in January, and with the first picnic in April to name just a few.

2007 Helfrich Riesling (AOC Alsace, $14.99; available for $9-$17). As this crisp wine opens in the glass, it reveals aromas of apple and then peach. These continue on into the flavors, where they remain barely 0ff-dry with plenty of stony, mineral notes to keep the fruit in check. Rich withough being heavy, this is one of the nicest Rieslings I've had at this price point. Excellent QPR.

2007 Helfrich Pinot Gris (AOC Alsace, $14.99; available for $9-$17) Much richer than the Riesling, this Pinot Gris has aromas and flavors of smoke, grass, and apple with a mineral inflection in the finish. It will stand up to rich, fatty foods like foie gras and lobster. Another wine with unusual complexity and personality given its price. Excellent QPR.

2005 Helfrich Gewürztraminer Grand Cru (AOC Alsace Grand Cru, $24.99; available for $14-$23) This stunning, age-worthy wine comes from the Steinklotz Vineyard. It's honey and rose aromas lead you into a wine with lychee and apple flavors and a deliciously spicy aftertaste that is true to the grape and seldom in evidence in modern Gewürztraminers. Excellent QPR on a Grand Cru wine with real style and class. (And if you get a crack at the 2008 vintage, buy it. It is very young now but it will be stunning when it settles down.)

Get to know the Alsace and its wine. They're the future.

Bodegas Montecillo's Albariño Adventure

What happens when a winemaker like Maria Martinez Sierra--known for her red wines at Bodegas Montecillo in the Rioja--turns her attention to white wine instead? Something wonderful if this bottle is any indication.

The 2006 Bodegas Montecillo Verdemar Albariño is made from grapes grown in Spain's Rías Baixas region, and it's the first vintage of the wine available in the US. I found it to be a textbook Albariño with delectable citrus, saline, and bread dough aromas. There were flavors of apple, along with more doughy and citrusy notes, and a salt spray finish. This is an excellent QPR effort from Bodegas Montecillo, with their typical attention to varietal correctness and every element in perfect balance. The suggested retail is $14, and you may be lucky enough to find this (or a later vintage) near you for around $12.

Albariño is a perfect partner for shellfish, and I'm particularly fond of it with clams. So peel yourself some shrimp, crack into a lobster, or steam some Little Necks and enjoy this zesty, summery wine with friends.

Full Disclosure: I received this wine as a sample.

Pinot Bianco from the Alto Adige

This month I'm getting to know the wines of Italy's Trentino-Alto Adige region. Tucked up in the northernmost part of Italy, the wines from this part of the country are quite different from the lush southern reds and crisp seaside whites that you might be more familiar with.

My first wine was a Cabernet Franc from the southern part of the Trentino-Alto Adige. My second wine is an aromatic white from the north: the 2007 Alois Lageder Pinot Bianco from the Dolomites. ($9.39 on sale in my local grocery store; available elsewhere for $13-$17) JPK from The Italian Cellar blog recommended "anything by Alois Lageder" in the comments when I announced my regional focus for June, and all I can say is: JPK's got good taste. The wine had terrific aromas of salty, wet stone that practically screamed out for seafood. There were salty and yeasty flavors, that turned citrusy and a nicely bitter lemon pith note in the aftertaste. Excellent QPR, even if you don't find it on sale like I did.

This bright, bracing wine was excellent with this recipe for smoky citrus shrimp with parsley. The shrimp calls for chipotle powder--which I couldn't find for love nor money up here on the Sonoma Coast. So I substituted a mixture of chili powder, smoked pimenton from Spain, and cayenne and it gave a similarly smoky-spicy kick. Because we were having the shrimp with a hunk of bread and some salad, I also enriched the sauce by whisking a tablespoon of butter into it when it was finish. The wine's salty and yeasty notes were great with the shrimp and bread and the citrus in the wine and the citrus in the sauce were perfect partners, too.

Thanks to JPK for the excellent suggestion of Alois Lageder. That's a name that's going on my short list of "go-to" winemakers.

Which Wine? Twitter Sommeliers on BBQ Chicken and Coleslaw

Last week I was getting ready to put some chicken on the grill. I'd already made some coleslaw, and had the tomato-based spicy sauce ready to lather onto the birds. (photo by vbalchen)

Which wine?

I was feeling uninspired. There was only one thing I knew for sure--I didn't want Zinfandel. Not that I have anything against Zinfandel. I just wanted something different.

So I got on Twitter and asked folks to suggest a grape that might go with this dish. My Twitter sommeliers' suggestions included the following: Rosé, Viognier, Syrah, Malbec, and Sangiovese.

You can imagine the rest. I opened up a bottle of each and tried them out with the meal. Dinner proved to be a challenge because the BBQ sauce on the chicken was spicy and slightly sweet. The coleslaw, on the other hand, was earthy and tangy. Here are my tasting notes for the wines I drank, and they include verdicts on the food pairing--and suggested alternatives.

2007 The Crusher Wilson Vineyard Viognier (suggested retail $12.99; available from $11-$16.50) From a partnership between Don Sebastiani & Sons and Clarksburg's Wilson family, huge honeysuckle aromas greeted me on first opening this wine, followed by hay, citrus, and honey flavors. The wine was creamy in the midpalate, with a bright, zingy finish. Very good QPR at $13, but it wasn't a great match with the chicken or coleslaw. It would, however, be sensational with lemon-garlic grilled chicken, or some grilled fish or shrimp.

2007 Dievole Dievolino Toscana IGT (suggested retail $9.99; available for $9-$10) This Sangiovese was bright ruby in color with sour cherry and earthy aromas that are a bit shy at first. The sour cherry and raspberry palate has chalky tannins and an earthy aftertaste. Very good QPR for those looking for a traditional Sangiovese, but it wasn't a great match with the chicken or the coleslaw since these foods tended to accentuate the earthiness and pull the wine out of balance. Instead, think of pairing it with grilled mushrooms or some smoky sausages for a great outdoor dinner.

2005 Barton & Guestier Rosé d'Anjou (suggested retail $9.99, and available for that price)
This wine was made from Cabernet Franc grapes and was a lovely salmon pink in color. Honeycomb and raspberry aromas made for an enticing start, and this was followed by a strawberry and raspberry palate. The wine was a hair off dry--so it would be very nice with spicier foods than the chicken I was serving tonight. This wine was the best partner for the coleslaw, too. The fresh berry flavors were a nice counterpoint to the salad's earthiness. Very good QPR.

2007 Substance Malbec (suggested retail, $18; contact the winery for more information) This Malbec from Washignton State's Columbia Valley was excellent. A deep, dark Malbec with blueberry and blackberry aromas, it had a satiny texture and rich, fruit-forward taste with great underlying mineral notes. Nicely peppery aftertaste, too. This wine was the best partner for the chicken, and brought out the sweetly spicy BBQ sauce to perfection. Excellent QPR.

2006 Black Sheep Finds Syrah Hocus Pocus ($17.99, domaine547; available for $16-$21) I look forward to the new vintage of this wine every year, and actually managed to hold onto this bottle for a bit to see how it would develop. Though purchased at the end of 2007, it's drinking just beautifully now and has lovely fresh aromas of plum blossom, plum, and berry. Layers of allspice, cinnamon, and a hint of cloves add to the fruit and there is a nicely peppery finish. Lovely example of the grape, excellent QPR for a quality Syrah, and the appellation, and another great vintage from Black Sheep Finds. This wine was the best partner for BOTH the chicken and the coleslaw as it had just the right blend of sweetness and spiciness to marry with the dishes.

Thanks to all my friends on Twitter for serving as virtual sommeliers for the evening. It was so much fun I'm bound to do it again.

Full Disclosure: except for the Hocus Pocus Syrah, the other wines tasted were samples.

Wine Blogging Wednesday #58: Wine, a Woman, and Song

Today is Wine Blogging Wednesday, the online tasting event founded by Lenn Thompson of Lenndevours. Hosted this month by Katie of Gonzo Gastronomy, we were asked to drink some wine, play some music and record how the taste of the wine changed with each song

I tried. I really did.

But my brain is apparently not wired this way.

No matter how much I tried to let the songs lead the taste, instead the tastes led the songs. I kept being inspired to listen to a new song with each sip.

The wine that led me on this merry chase through my iTunes library was the 2008 Scholium Project Naucratis from the Slough Vineyards in Clarksburg ($20 in the Spring 2009 allocation; previous vintages available online for $23-$28). It was a perfect choice for Katie's theme--or so I thought. A bit cereberal, a bit off beat, a wine that would reward reflection. Well, yes--but it was also one damn intense Verdelho, with insanely excellent QPR. Which is where I got distracted. There were aromas of banana salt water taffy, sea salt, lime zest, grapefruit, and granny smith apples. The flavors exploded in my mouth in a wash of citrus, tropical fruits, mineral, stone, and more sea salt. In addition the wine was very dry and quite acidic with a long, lingering aftertaste that hints at a great future.

I was inspired. I hit my library, selecting songs that went with the wine. They had to be take-no-prisoner, independent, out-of-the-box, dreamy, pensive and intense all at once. Here were my favorites:

"No Where to Run To" by Martha Reeves and the Vandellas
"Breathe" by Andy LeMaster and Maria Taylor
"Promises" by Badly Drawn Boy
"The Hazards of Love 2 (Wager All)," by the Decemberists
"The Trapeze Swinger," by Iron & Wine
"Drunkard's Prayer," by Over the Rhine
"At My Most Beautiful," by REM
"Crazy," by Alanis Morissette

If you want to hear these songs, head over to blip.fm and check them out. I'm there most days playing them, and I've put them all at the bottom of my playlist for you!

But in the end, it was the wine that made me hear the music in a new way--I just couldn't get the music to lead my tastebuds when there was this much moxie in the wine. I hope Katie will forgive my feeble efforts. It was a great theme, and I look forward to reading everybody's posts.

Cabernet Franc from Italy's Trentino DOC

One of my favorite things about setting the goal of drinking wines from every region in Italy--a process that began in 2008 and will continue through 2009--is that I buy wine I wouldn't taste otherwise. These are often the wines I remember months later because they were unexpected treats, wines that caught my imagination even though I often have low or no expectations and no real frame of reference for what I am tasting.

That happened last week when I opened up the 2005 De Tarczal Cabernet Franc. I purchased this in April 2008 from Garagiste in Seattle, received it in November, and promptly put it in the back fo the cellar for the month I finally got around to Trentin0-Alto Adige. ($16.90, Garagiste; available elsewhere for $19)

When I opened it, I was greeted with promising aromas of bell pepper, sour cherry, earth, and minerals. It struck me as less weedy than Cabernet Franc from the Loire, with a depth to the cherry aromas that made me eager to taste the wine. Flavorwise, the wine had a lovely, satiny texture wrapped around earth, leaf, and sour cherry notes. This was a really lovely, well-balanced Cabernet Franc from a region that (perhaps in my ignorance) I don't usually associate with Cab Franc. Excellent QPR.

Mushrooms go beautifully with a wine with this kind of flavor profile. Make yourself a portobello burger slathered with pesto mayonnaise and topped with roasted peppers and arugula--your tastebuds will thank you.

New Grape of the Month: Rkatsiteli

And no, I didn't spell it wrong.

Rkatsiteli is a new grape to me and I suspect that's true for many of you reading this post. It's the kind of grape that has us all channeling our inner wine geek and scurrying to dig out our Oxford Companion to Wine.

When you find your reference books, you'll discover that Rkatsiteli (pronounced "rkah-tsee-tely") is widely planted in eastern Europe, especially in places like Georgia, Bulgaria, and the Ukraine. In Russia, they make fortified wines (akin to Sherry) from the grape, and even turn it into brandy.

So how did it get to the Sierra Foothills, which is where the bottling I tasted came from? Rob and Marilyn Chrisman of Avanguardia Wines like relatively unknown and untrodden grapes even more than I do and have specialized in growing and making wine from them since 2004. Avanguardia grows Italian, French, Russian, and University of California crosses like Refosco, Peverella, Forestera, and Rkatsiteli. Some indication of their independent spirit can be seen in this statement from their web site: "As California wines go, our wines are somewhat atypical: we don't produce high alcohol wines, we don't like 'fruit bombs'. Only subtle oak is OK. Acidity is higher than most in order make them food friendly. Balance is everything here at Avanguardia." I've had two of their wines (so far) and they are terrific value and some of the most interesting wine I've had from my home state, so check them out if you're in need of spicing up your cellar.

The 2006 Avanguardia Cristallo I tasted recently is made with around 85% Rkatsiteli, with the remainder of the juice coming from Pinot Blanc, Pinot Grigio, and Melon de Bourgogne. (available direct from the winery for $14) With nothing to compare it to in terms of varietal characteristics, I have to say that whether it is "correct" or not I really liked this wine. It smelled of fresh shucked corn--green and creamy at the same time. The palate is creamy, too, but it retains its herbal acidity and freshness, with grassy and floral notes. If you like your wines fresh and zesty, you will think this is a very good QPR pick. If you like your wines fresh, zesty AND geeky (as I do), you will think it has excellent QPR.

With your Rkatsiteli, I'd suggest some grilled fish. We had it with grilled halibut with a roasted pepper relish and some green beans with basil. The fresh, creaminess of the fish was a nice pairing for the creamy aspects of the wine, and the wine's herbaceousness accented the roasted peppers.

Calling all Rkatsiteli lovers: tell me your experiences with the grape in the comments below. Let's get a Rkatsiteli fan club going, ok?

Full Disclosure: I received this wine as a sample.

Why I Love Spanish Wine--Especially In Summer

There are many reasons I love Spanish wine any time of year. Many are made with indigenous grapes (always a plus for me). They're food friendly. They're good value. In summer, though, I add another reason to my list: they go great with grilled food.

If you'll be taking your BBQ out for its maiden voyage of the 2009 season this weekend, pick up a bottle of one of these Spanish wines to have with whatever you put on the grill.

2005 Bodegas Montecillo Rioja Crianza (suggested retail, $12; available for $7-$13) Year in and year out this is my favorite entry-level Spanish Tempranillo. It will appeal to traditionalists, who want their Tempranillo to have the earthy, herbal, leathery loveliness of the grape. Aromas of leather, earth, and herbs will greet you first, with black cherry notes in the background. In the flavors, expect juicy cherries and berries, with a lovely, long aftertaste. For $12? Impossible to beat, in my opinion. Excellent QPR.

2006 Martín Códax Rioja Ergo (available $9-$15) Also made with Tempranillo, this wine walks the line between Old World restraint and New World fruit with its black cherry, mint, and chocolate aromas. Rich berry and cherry flavors have a gamey edge that will pair beautifully with steak, burgers, or lamb. Very good QPR.

2007 Tapena Grenache (suggested retail $9.99; available for $7-$12) This is a bold, fruity wine with aromas of blackberries and cherries. You'll find more sweet blackberry fruit in the flavors along with some cinnamon, all wrapped up in a softly textured package. An enjoyable wine that will go with a wide range of foods, including grilled vegetables and chicken. Very Good QPR.

Full Disclosure: I received these wines as samples.

Wine Blogging Wednesday #57: California Inspiration

Today is Wine Blogging Wednesday #57, the online tasting note started by Lenn Thompson of Lenndevours and hosted this month by Jeff Lefevere of Good Grape. This month Jeff asked us to "revisit a California wine that they have enjoyed, or have a particular fond memory of, and tell a story."

I chose the 2006 Robert Mondavi Winery Cabernet Sauvignon from the Napa Valley. There were two reasons I chose this bottle (in addition to the fact that Jeff's theme was timed to honor Robert Mondavi, who died a year ago). First, my first serious experience with wine was in the Napa Valley on Larkmead Lane, walking in vineyards and climbing wind towers. Though I now drink more widely and am often priced out of the Napa wine market, it is always a treat to taste a wine that reminds me of this special place. Last summer, I met Margrit Mondavi for the first time at Taste3 and experienced some Mondavi hospitality first-hand. It was a treat to visit the vineyard and explore the barrel room. (photo of flags flying over the Robert Mondavi vineyard).

The second reason I chose this wine is because it's a wine that I buy and enjoy regularly. Sometimes, I drink them right away. Some times I cellar them--like the last bottles I have from the 2003 vintage that I'm still sitting on and which I purchased for $16.99 back in February 2006. No matter whether I drink them young or with some age on them, this wine always represents excellent QPR in Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. This current release has a suggested retail of $28, for example, but you can find it for between $18 and $25 in most parts of the country. While you can spend more on Napa Cabs, I find that this wine gives me everything I'm looking for in a wine from this region at a more affordable price.

The 2006 Robert Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley had slightly medicinal cherry, green pepper, herb, and currant aromas--all classic for the grape. There was bright cassis fruit, and a slightly licorice aftertaste. The flavors were complex, and there was a deft handling of oak which gave the wine spicy richness without being heavy or clumsy. In my opinion, this is still too young to show to its best advantage, so either decant it or buy a few bottles and put them away to drink over the next 3-5 years. And one of the things to look forward to if you buy a bottle of this wine is that it will be even better with food--pot roast, stew, steak, and roast beef are just some of the dishes that I've had with Robert Mondavi Cabernet.

Thanks to Jeff for a theme that should generate a lot of wonderful posts.

Full Disclosure: I received this wine as a sample.

A Summery White for Chilling and Grilling

We had a heat wave in LA recently, with temperatures well into the 90s. It was a not-so-gentle reminder of the high temperatures to come. Do you have your summer whites on hand for the first time the mercury climbs into the stratosphere?

If not, consider picking up the 2007 Big House Wine Company Big House White. (suggested retail $9.99; available for $7-$12 throughout the country) It's a blend of Muscat Canelli, Viognier, Sauvignon Blanc, Malvasia Bianca, Vermentino, and Muscat de Gaillo. And while some wines blended from this many grapes can be a bit mushy in the taste department and leave you wondering why they bothered to mix them all together, this blend works to produce a white wine that is perfect for chilling down and sipping on the patio while you grill up some fish or chicken. This may be the quintessential summer sipper with its aromas of peach, apricot, and blood orange lurking under a Stelvin closure. Flavors of blood orange and peach predominate, all wrapped up in a sweet and honeyed aftertaste. Even so, there's enough acidity to keep the wine lively and interesting. Excellent QPR given the wine's price and its well-balanced flavors.

This wine would be just as at home with spicy Asian food as it would be with grilled food, and it's a perfect partner for salads, too. We had ours with the cover recipe from a recent issue of Bon Appetit: a salad of grilled chicken, radish, cucumber, and tarragon pesto. I often pair tarragon with Sauvignon Blanc, but if you don't get it just right the tastes can sometimes be jarring. This wine was great with the strong flavors of the radish and tarragon, and had the right blend of softness and acidity to pair with the cucumbers and greens.

Full Disclosure: I received this wine as a sample.

For Brighter Whites Turn to Alsace

It's hot in LA. Really, really hot--as in record breaking.

When it's this hot, you want a wine that's bright and refreshing. I'm learning about the wines of Alsace these days, and this is the first of several recommendations to come. If you don't know about Alsatian wines, I can assure you that they are perfect spring-into-summer picks with vibrant acidity and a kind of nervy, racy quality that keeps the wine lively and bright down to the last drop.

If you are looking for a starting place for Alsatian whites try this 2006 Bott-Geyl Les Pinots d'Alsace Metiss. ($16.00, Domaine547) This was a lovely wine for the price with nice depth and a briskness that kept it lively. It's made from a blend of four different Pinot grapes--Pinot Auxerrois (33%), Pinot Blanc (33%), Pinot Gris (17%), and even some Pinot Noir (17%). This is not a rose wine, though--this is white. There were lovely honeyed orange and lemon aromas and flavors, and a nice stoniness in the aftertaste. Excellent QPR.

This wine would be terrific with grilled chicken or fish--the kind of hot weather foods we'll all be eating soon--but it has the necessary stuffing to stand up to grilled sausages or pork, too.

Friday Nights IN: Tax Recovery with Glamorous Grilled Cheese and Fume Blanc

Friday Nights IN is a regular feature at GWU$20 that's intended to trim a few dollars from your entertaining budget by replacing a meal out with a meal in. Some suggestions are dinners for four, six, eight, or even ten. Some are for romantic dinners for two. And some suggestions are perfect for when you need time to yourself!

Today's Friday Nights IN suggestion is for a comforting dinner for 1-4 people that is perfect for recovering from filing your taxes. This meal manages to be comforting, frugal, and just a tad bit glamorous. Yes, it's a chi-chi take on grilled cheese--but who do you know that doesn't like grilled cheese? Rent a movie, invite some friends over, and pour some good wine. You can all recover together. If you're too glum to see friends given the news you received yesterday from your accountant, make yourself two sandwiches and eat both of them.

The Food: Grilled cheese may not scream glamour to you, but I love toasted cheese sandwiches and eat them whenever I have the excuse. If you must, you can call it a panini and feel more hip. But I warn you, this smoked salmon panini is not your ordinary grilled cheese. It uses Brioche (although I used Challah, as I couldn't find Brioche), Dijon mustard, smoked salmon, Gruyere cheese, and the vital secret ingredient of fresh lemon zest. Slap all that in a fry pan or between the plates of a panini grill and you're on the way to a perfect meal if you have a bag of lettuce leaves and some dressing to serve alongside.

The Wine: I love an oaked Sauvignon Blanc with smoked fish like the salmon in this grilled cheese. In the United States, such bottlings are often labeled "Fume Blanc," a name coined decades ago by Robert Mondavi to help his wine compete better in the marketplace with French labels. (check out a history of the term here) In honor of Mr. Mondavi, I opened up a bottle of the 2007 Robert Mondavi Fume Blanc from the Napa Valley (available for $12-$20). This is one classy wine, with fresh Sauvignon Blanc fruit that's been barrel-aged for richness. Expect to smell creamy citrus and melon, along with some tarragon and herbal notes when you open up the bottle. These will be followed by citrus and orchard fruit flavors that are held in nice balance with the subtle oak which lends depth and complexity. Excellent QPR.

$10 Pizza Wine Find

Yesterday I reviewed an excellent, traditional Sangiovese. If you want to try another bottle, this one priced to cost less than your next takeout pizza, I have one for you.

It's the 2007 Marchesi de' Frescobaldi Rèmole Toscana IGT, a Sangiovese with some Cabernet Sauvignon blended into it. (suggested retail $10; this is a new vintage, but previous vintages can be found for $8-$14). It has sour cherry aromas touched with green, peppery notes. These aromas can be found in the flavors, too, and there is a fruity, juicy finish touched with cedar and smoke. I can't think of a wine that would go better with a sausage pizza, or one with mushrooms and green peppers.

And for $10, it's a no-brainer. And though very different in style from yesterday's Sangiovese, this one also represents excellent QPR for its affordability and taste.

If you're looking for more wine finds that are $10 and under, it's always worth checking out the recommendations made by my friends Taster A and Taster B over at Smells Like Grape. Every Tuesday they highlight their latest $10 wine, so head over there now to see what they're sipping.

Full Disclosure: I received this wine as a sample.

Think Spring, Think Sangiovese

Sangiovese, like Pinot Noir, is one of those red grapes that I think is just perfect for spring. It's lighter bodied than many reds, and has a bright, fruit-centered core that has lots of acidity and zip.

The 2006 Azienda Agricola La Schiaccionaia Trasubie is made with Sangiovese grapes that were grown biodynamically in Tuscany's Montecucco region rather than the better known Chianti. (suggested retail $22; for more information on where you could purchase this wine go to the Domenico Selections website) A bit of Syrah was blended into the wine for added softness. I loved the aromas of leather, sour cherries, and earth that were my introduction to the wine. These were followed up by flavors that were leathery, with nice spicy clove and cherry as well. The wine had a smooth finish, and will please traditionalists who are looking for a wine that is nicely balanced between fruit, acidity, and more complex notes. Even though it cost slightly more than $22, I felt this represented excellent QPR given the quality and the complexity it offered.

Sangiovese goes well with grilled meats and pasta dishes, but we had it with a white bean and sausage minestrone that was quick to make and delicious. I added some more crushed tomatoes to the recipe because we had some in the fridge just begging to be used up, and I cut the amount of liquid added to the recipe in half because I like my soup thicker. It worked well--so fiddle with this recipe to get just the consistency and flavor you want. The earthiness of the beans and the fennel in the sausage really brought out the earthy and spicy notes in this wine, and the cherry flavors were an ideal companion to the tomatoes.

Full Disclosure: I received this wine as a sample.

Zing for Spring: New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs

Now that it's officially spring, it's time to put some zing in your step--and in your wine glass, too.

If you've got a bit of the late winter doldrums, why not get yourself a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand? This always does the trick for me, and puts me in the mood for the warmer months and longer days ahead.

I've had two bottles of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc recently that I liked. Both qualify as excellent QPR, and come in at different price points. One is just under $20, and the other just under $15.

The 2008 Matua Sauvignon Blanc Lime is the more straightforward of the two, and has the lower price point. (suggested retail $13; available for $7-$19) At present, this wine is all about the lime. There is tangy lime zest in the aromas, and lime juice in the palate with fresh herbal notes coming forward as the wine is exposed to air. It's tang and refreshing--the perfect spring into summer sipper.

The 2008 Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc has greater complexity and a slightly higher pricepoint--but it's still a great buy. (suggested retail $19; available for $14-23) Year in and year out this is a winner. This year, the wine has persistent, focused pink grapefruit and lime zest aromas and flavors. Herbal and mineral notes linger in your mouth after you've swallowed. This is an exceptionally flavorful wine for the price, and a great example of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc.

You can't go wrong with either of these wines this spring.

Full Disclosure: I received these wines as samples.