Month: August 2018

No Way, Rosé… but YES to Summer Reds!

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Summer Reds for When You’re Sick of Rosé 

Warm weather doesn’t mean red wine has to go into hiding. We’ve compiled five styles of summer reds perfect with a bit of chill and an afternoon by the grill, for the next time you want to say “No way, rosé.”

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While there’s nothing like rosé in the summer, if you’re outside enjoying wine on a warm evening, chances are there’s a grill a stone’s throw away. Hearty summer barbecue fare may mean it’s time to put down the pink and pick up a wine with a little more body, fruit and tannins. For your next picnic or cookout, shake things up with a slightly chilled, lighter style red.

Here are five styles of red wine perfect for when the grill starts to heat up, and top value selections for each.

Oregon Pinot Noir

Crafted in more of a Burgundian style than its neighboring California cohorts, these wines can be somewhat rustic and earthy, loaded with Bing cherry and cranberry. Their high acidity and complex structure make them enjoyable to pair with all sorts of seafood and lighter fare. With an overall cool and somewhat damp climate, Oregon can have notable vintage variation so be sure to check our WE vintage chartfor the best years.

Recommended Wine

Le Cadeau 2016 Diversité Pinot Noir (Willamette Valley); $50, 93 points. This multi-clonal selection is lushly endowed with a bright mix of red fruit, recalling cranberry, pomegranate, raspberry and cherry. It’s annotated with orange peel highlights and orange blossom scents. The detail and subtlety are impressive. Editors’ Choice. —Paul Gregutt

Finger Lakes Blaufränkisch

If Finger Lake reds haven’t been on your radar, now is the time. While the Rieslingand Chardonnay get most of the attention, this northern New York region produces high quality red varietal wines as well. While Cabernet Franc and Pinot Noir are more common, Blaufränkisch is the unsung hero of the group. Exuding black fruits, earthy minerality and pleasant herbal notes, these wines are ideal for summer sipping.

Recommended Wine

Dr. Konstantin Frank 2016 Blaufränkisch (Finger Lakes); $22, 88 points. Sour cherry, bramble berry and a bit of pepper carry the nose of this wine. The medium-bodied palate is soft in feel, with juicy red cherry and strawberry flavors that meld with a floral lilt. This is enjoyable for its immediate easydrinking appeal. —Alexander Peartree

Cru Beaujolais

No, not Beaujolais Nouveau, which certainly has its time and place. Cru Beaujolais is arguably the finest expression of Gamay in the world. The carbonic maceration—fermenting whole cluster grapes before crush—leads to a lighter, fruit-driven, lower-tannin style of wine. When crafted from grapes in top regions such as Moulin-à-Vent, Brouilly, Morgon and Fleurie, you will find some of the most interesting wines in all of France.

Recommended Wine

Domaine des Marrans 2016 Fleurie; $21, 91 points. This is a ripe and juicy wine. Tannins support the generous layers of red-berry and cherry fruits and acidity. The wine has a succulent quality, spicy and fruity at the end. Drink from mid-2018. —Roger Voss

Puglia Primitivo

While you may know it as Zinfandel, Primitivo is one of the most popular varieties of the southern Italian region of Puglia. While value California Zins tend to be a bit bulky, Primitivo lean towards wild berry and black pepper notes with earthy and floral tones backed by vibrant acidity. These well-structured wines make a perfect pair for spicy barbecue ribs straight off the grill.

Recommended Wine

A Mano 2015 Imprint Primitivo (Puglia); $15, 88 points. There’s a surprising intensity to the aromas of fresh blackberries, turned earth and violets. The palate mirrors the nose in a package of grippy tannins and crisp acidity. While enjoyably straightforward in nature, the concentration is rather light, so enjoy for its immediate appeal. —A.P.

Austrian Zweigelt

These sassy, zippy wines are brimming with delightful red cherry and red berry flavors backed by white pepper spice. Zweigelt’s high acidity helps create a wine ideal for chilling at your next summer soirée. The cool climate of many Austrian wine regions keeps these wines light and fun with immediate appeal.

Recommended Wine

Artner 2016 Klassik Zweigelt (Carnuntum); $14, 91 points.Aromatic pure cherry sends a message of pleasure and poise. This well-defined, precise and utterly fresh fruit blazes across the slender but dense palate that is outlined by freshness and verve. Purity is its virtue. Pleasure, seemingly, is its sole purpose. What a lovely, fresh and vivid wine. Best Buy. —Anne Krebiehl

Sometimes the Answers ARE at the Bottom of the Bottle…

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‘Long Finish’ As featured in Wine Enthusiast

A bottle of wine can open up communication and evoke emotion like nothing else in the world.

There are few things as dynamic, engaging and provocative as a bottle of wine. Contained in that bottle are the blood, sweat and tears of the hundreds of people involved in its production. The fact that it ages and has its own life cycle sets it apart from just about any other beverage. But it’s what can occur between individuals who share a special bottle that makes it so intriguing.

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Just to be clear, I’m not advocating overindulgence. However, it sometimes takes more than just a sip, or even a glass, to open the doors of communication and set the human spirit free. Often, the last sip of wine is the best. It can take some time for a wine to open up and reach its full potential. But when you sit with a friend or family member and look forward to an in-depth conversation about life, the improvement and evolution of that wine is part of the overall enjoyment.

2015 Bismark Cabernet Sauvignon 750ml

My parents were over for dinner last year, and I opened a bottle of Hanna 2013 Bismark Mountain Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon. It was young and opulent upon opening, but my dad and I agreed it was going to improve dramatically in just a short while. So as we sipped, we talked.

 

We talked about the wine, of course. But we also discussed the amazing playoff run the Yankees were on, and how the team compared to those of the late 1970s that we loved so dearly. We talked about how, a few years back, he had lost his passion for oil painting, but he had just started his first new painting in ages. And as we sipped, not only did the wine improve, but so did the content of our conversation.

As we enjoyed our last glass, my daughter came flying into the room to give him a big ol’ Grandpa hug. Filled with emotion, he wanted to make sure I knew that my daughter, his only granddaughter, had filled the void left when he and my mom lost their first child and only daughter shortly after her first birthday.

Of course, having my brother and I soon after that traumatic event certainly helped. But never having a little girl around had apparently left a vacancy in his heart and soul that was never fully repaired until now. And as we discussed this truly heartfelt and intimate revelation, we realized that the bottle was finished.

As anticipated, the last sip was indeed the best.

‘Long Finish’ As featured in Wine Enthusiast