LifeStyle Wine
Summer Wine Journey 4 Expert Tips on What to Savor this Season By Michael Bray
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reetings South Jersey & beyond! I hope this finds you healthy and enjoying the summer sun. I really enjoy connecting with many of you via email, text, as well as in-store. Your questions and engagement provide me the opportunity to connect our passion (for wine) with yours … and I never take that for granted. I’ve selected four questions below that I’ve received, and hope that it delivers some education and curiosity while on your wine journey. Cheers! What do you suspect will be the most popular wines of summer? I’ll answer this from both an actual product perspective, as well as category. From the latter, this will continue to be the summer of canned wine, rosé wine, sparkling whites and reds (think Pinot Noir and Nebbiolo) that you can put a slight chill on. Especially with the heat we’ve experienced thus far, twenty minutes in the fridge will do the trick! As for actual producers: Scarpetta (a collaboration between a master chef and master sommelier from Italy); Whispering Angel and Miraval (both from Provence) continue to drive rosé sales; while Bele Casel Prosecco continues to dominate the sparkling category. One note: these are the most popular, per the question, however, there are so many other examples to explore. What do you recommend to pair with shellfish, clams, and oysters? I would drink Muscadet. Pronounced moos-cah-day — it is a dry white wine from Loire Valley France on the central western coast. Key point to remember, “old world” wines are labeled by place, whereas “new world” wines refer to a grape variety. So, in this case, Muscadet refers to the place, the “appellation,” whereas the grape variety is Melon de Bourgogne. Look for hints of apple, citrus and a kiss of their maritime influence (saltiness). Most commonly paired with seafood, its “Sur Lie” aging (a fancy wine term that makes a wine creamier, fuller and richer) allows it to pair beautifully with lighter chicken dishes, pastas and roasted vegetables too. Someone recently brought me a bottle of Tempranillo. Is this special?” Tempranillo refers to the (noble) grape variety of Rioja, Spain. It’s hard to answer your question without knowing the producer. Like Cabernet, prices can range from $10 to $100 (and higher). You
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will find flavors of strawberries, spices, leather, and fresh tobacco, with an ability to turn savory and earthy with bottle-aging. For those new to Temrpanillo, no better place to begin your journey than in Rioja with, Lopez De Heredia Vina Bosconia. Believed to have received its name from the Spanish word “temprano” (meaning, “early”), Tempranillo is an early-ripening variety that can perform in an enormous range of climates and soils. In fact, due to this versatility, you may find Tempranillo under several monikers across Spain’s outstanding wine-producing regions. For example, The DO of Toro calls this grape, perhaps not coincidentally, “Tinta de Toro.” Catalunya (or Catalonia) is the DO near Barcelona, where there are several sub-regions experimenting with different Tempranillobased blends, where the grape here is called “Ull de Llebre.” If you’re a Cabernet drinker, I highly recommend Toro. If you prefer more rustic, lighter in body, I would check out Rioja first. What white wine are you drinking right now? I’ll give you my Top 3: (1). Aperture Cellars Chenin Blanc: led by winemaker, Jesse Katz, this 100% Chenin delivers flavors of quince, apple and stone fruits. Perfect for seafood. (2). Maison Gustave Lorentz Riesling: a brilliant example of what (dry) Riesling can achieve. This Alsatian white is a delicious pairing for sushi, while offering bright acidity, citrus fruit, minerality and great structure. And (3). Terenzi Balbino Vermentino Bianco: coming from Maremma Tuscany, clean and elegant on the palate, with the marked floral and fruity notes that are typical of this grape variety. It has a lively freshness with a kiss of salinity from the coast. An ideal accompaniment for fish (both cooked and raw), shellfish, seafood soups and light, vegetable-based pasta recipes. You won’t be disappointed. From all of us here at Passion Vines, we wish you continued health and fun this summer. As always, if I may be of any assistance to you, please text 609-248-6065 or email me, michael@passionvines.com, anytime. I look forward to connecting. Drink Passionately,
