Choice Summer Wines with BBQ Fun
At summer gatherings at my place in La Costa, I’m the guy that gets the dubious job of cooking up the burgers, hot dogs or, in the case of special occasions, thick prime steaks or fancy fish. This season I promised myself two things, I would get a new premium stainless steel BBQ with all the bells and whistles, and serve refreshing budget wines with the sizzling cuisines, instead of traditional BBQ beers.
There really isn’t a food on your summer menu that can’t match up with an appropriate wine. The two core wines that I keep on hand for such hot weather patio gatherings are a good Rose (roez-ay) or Zinfindel on the red side, and a Sauvignon Blanc or Gerwurztraminer(gu-wur-stra-meener) for whites. White Zinfandel is the easiest to drink, a hybrid, and Livingston Cellars with its bright notes of strawberry and other fruit-forward flavors is a perfect easy-on-the-pocketbook “blush”wine from Modesto.
At $6.99 for a large 1.5 liter bottle it goes a long way. This wine is crafted, balanced, approachable and easy to find at your favorite market or drugstore. For a more hefty Zin, try Seghesio Old Vine from Sonoma. The ’04 goes for about $24. Roses have been moving back up lately and Temecula wineries have a variety of neat labels: Keyways “Amore Rosa” at $15 and Maurice Carrie’s “Cab Franc Rose” at $20.
Sauvignon Blanc with its pronounced citrus accents, really sets up the palate for the BBQ menu to come and enhances a number foods. It’s a stylistic wine that varies in taste around the globe. New Zealand ranks high on my personal list, but lately I’ve been giving the nod to Sonoma and especially Rodney Strong. The 2006 is now out at about $14. Rick Sayre, the long-time guru winemaker for Strong, blends grapes from the Alexander Valley for pear and melon accents, and the ocean-cooled Russian River Valley for citrus and mineral flavors.
Gerwurztraminer has a slightly sweet taste as most German sourced grapes have. Fetzer of Mendocino does a lovely job on this with apricot and peach flavors. Fetzer has the ’05 priced at just $5 at most stores. And let’s not forget the bubbly at the BarBee, to toast the occasion. For me, it’s the gold-medal winning Wilson Creek Almond Champagne, sparkling wine naturally fermented and with a dash of almond. Try it with a coating of Wilson Creek chocolate dessert wine. $16 at the winery or on the web shopping cart: www.wilsoncreekwinery.com.
San Diego Food and Wine Festival Heats Up
This best of wine events in San Diego isn’t until November 14 to 18, but the action is getting more interesting as the days fly by. Festival producer Michelle Metter tells me that tickets are on sale now and going fast for an array of seminars, workshops, presentations and a final festival at Embarcadero Park North on Saturday November 17, not only featuring wines but the perfectly matched foods by great chefs. Which leads me to the “Chef of the Fest” competition, a culinary showdown of sorts involving 60 chefs in five food categories. A best of show will emerge with some serious prizes and bragging rights. If you are a chef or a restaurant, you will want to be a part of the action at the Saturday event.
Check the festival’s website for rules and regulations and a list of dazzling prizes: www.worldofwineevents.com. Check out the ticket prices for purchase information or call 877-808-WINE.
My next wine column will feature my top ten wine tastings for the first 6 months of the year. Don’t miss it!The Local Sip
Not really local, but only a half days’ drive is the Paso Robles Grand Taste on Friday, July 13th from 7 to 10pm at the new Vino Robles Center. Premium Paso wines will be poured. $75 per person. For more information visit www.pasowine.com.
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Firefly in Encinitas has the Matanzas Creek wine dinner at 6:30pm on Thursday, July 12th. Matanzas Creek is in the heart of Sonoma. Try their new Syrah. Check with the restaurant for pricing, at 760-635-1066.***
Vine Vault and Bistro in Little Italy San Diego has Cathy and Pete Seghesio appearing with their lively Sonoma wines on Tuesday and Wednesday, July 10th and 11th, along with a hand picked dinner. Start time is 6:30pm. Price is $59.50. RSVP to 619-295-3939.***
Vino 100 in San Marcos in the new Grand Plaza is having an Australian winemaker, Andrew Hood, at their event on Saturday, July 7. Check with the wine shop for time and cost at 760-591-9113.***
Dr. Loosen is showcased on Wednesday, July 11 at 6pm, at Jack’s in La Jolla on Girard. A paired dinner enhances this well known winery’s offerings. RSVPs at 858-456-8111.***
The next regionally accented cuisine at Il Fornaio in Del Mar will be Sicilian wines, now thru July 15th. This largest island in the Mediterranean is a cultural melting pot of flavors, and the wines have recently started to get popular. The Nero d’Avola grape excels with its complex red berry flavors. The Scurati Ceuso is featured at $36 per bottle. Call 858-755-8876 for more information.Frank Mangio is a renowned wine connoisseur certified by Wine Spectator. Reach him
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