TOO HOT? DON'T WHINE, DRINK WINE

 Well early summer has definitely arrived these past two weeks, in full force. Triple digit temperatures have seemed to squelch many outdoor barbecues and dining, and have us looking for lighter and less complicated fare. Briskly chilled whites and even some gently cooled reds are the logical choices.

Delicately sweet and fruity Chenin Blancs, crisp Sauvignon Blancs and even some French Beaujolais make delicious and refreshing aperitifs.

You must not forget the one wine that will always be the correct choice, with most all light to heavy lunches brunches and dinners, and that is a bottle of Sparkling Wine or Champagne. The Sparkling Roses’ are another choice, and either one is a guarantee to refresh and put a smile on you and your “hot” summer guests.

Rieslings, as consumers are quickly discovering, can be highly versatile with picnic foods. The lightest styles of Rieslings from Germany are labeled Kabinett and most of the Rieslings from Alsace, France, are very dry.

These Rieslings, make great matches for lighter pasta and cream sauce dishes, salads, cold cuts, and light appetizers. Their crisp acidity, balances with a touch of sweetness, which cuts through the richness of most of these dishes and also blends well with their texture and creaminess.

In California the terms White Riesling or Johannisberg Riesling are used to denote the true style of German Riesling. Many wineries that produce Riesling will make two styles, with the Alsatian style usually labeled as dry White Riesling.

Gewurztraminer, a varietal traditionally grown in Alsace but very popular and grown here in California, offers, a sweet spice aroma, and can be found in a very dry style and also in a sweeter style. It matches perfectly with Asian dishes, especially the hot and spicy Szechwan style, also with many curry dishes. I know it is too early to be thinking about it, but with Thanksgiving dinner it is the best. It goes with not only the turkey, but with all the different side dishes we seem to enjoy as well as the stuffing.

Probably hands down the best you could purchase would be the dry Gewurztraminer, from Clairborne & Churchill Winery, or the semi sweet one from Firestone Vineyards.

France’s Beaujolais and Beaujolais Villages, and even the slightly heavier styles of Morgon, Moulin-a-vent, are excellent slightly chilled and work well with almost any type of food including hamburgers, grilled meats and lamb. Georges Duboeuf and Joseph Drouhin both produce many of these styles and are widely available.

A recent article I read by a Restaurant Critic and reviewer, who shall remain nameless, stated in his review that the restaurant had many choices of wine to “wash down the food.”

This is probably the most offensive and un- professional statement I have ever read concerning wine.

Most of us wine lovers know that wine is a meal time beverage. We respect the wineries and winemakers that take the fruit from the vineyard and make the juice into something wonderful for us to enjoy, and this is not an easy task.

Wine writers learn about food, its preparation and how the wine matches your meal. Shouldn’t the restaurant reviewer and critic, have something decent to say about the wine?  “Wash down the food?” Shame, on him, and his ignorance.

 Wine quote for the week:

“And that you may the less marvel at my words, look at the sun’s heat that becomes wine when combined with the juice that flows from the vine.” Dante 1265-1321, Italian Poet and Philosopher.

 Till next week, good health and peace to all,  Salute= sahLOO-tay