2007 Meinklang Blauburgunder Weissgepresst Rosé Frizzante Review Date - 9/1/2008 Score - 93 Tasting Note: Any afternoon spent on the patio or deck needs to start with bubbles. One of the most rewarding and unusual sparklers I've seen this summer is a dry rosé of Pinot Noir from Austria. This outfit, which also raises Angus cattle, does a wide spectrum of wines, from dry to sweet, including dessert wines from the Bouvier grape, which I fell hard for about a decade ago. This organically/biodynamically grown wine shows a gorgeous delicate pink color. Just looking at it gives you a lift. Then comes the wonderful, slightly floral, delicate scent that leads to a rush of red fruits on the palate: Strawberry and raspberry flavors show a freshness that wakes up the mouth most delightfully. With just 11% alcohol, this wine will revive you, not knock you out. Serve chilled at 45-50ºF/7-10ºC in tall tulip-shaped glasses. Use a corkscrew for this one as the stopper is not a classic Champagne-style cork. A great value in this genre. Foods: Delicate summer fare, such as potted shrimp, crab/lobster terrine or dip with red pepper; crawfish salad, Thai-style seafood dishes (not too hot), spring rolls, dim sum, such as potstickers or steamed dumplings, chicken or ham croquetas. Hemispheres Georgia Distributor: Hemispheres $17.00 2006 Monteporzio Catone Frascati Superiore Il Frascati Review Date - 9/1/2008 Score - 88 Tasting Note: Few wines have as long a history as this one, associated as it is with the town of Frascati about 15 miles from Rome. It's reported that in the middle 15th century, the small town (today about 20,000) had more than 1,000 taverns! It's chief claim to fame, besides its charm and historic character, is this light-bodied dry aromatic wine with a pale yellow color. Jjust right for warm-weather al fresco dining, it opens with the distinct aroma of roasted almonds, and slips easily into flavors that carry forward the almond extract character into fine white fruits, melon and pear. The silky texture and almon-tinged long finish are characteristic. The grapes are Malvasia and Trebbiano. The Romans drink Frascati with everything. Amazing flexibility with food and amazing subtle differences among various examples of the genre. Serve chilled, (45-50ºF/4-8/ºC) in small tulip-shaped white wine glasses. Foods: sautéed chicken livers seasoned with five spice powder, all manner of seafood; parchment cooked white fish with green vegetables; pasta with pesto and toasted pine nuts; clams and/or oysters with lemon. Georgia Distributor: Bacco Fine Wine $11.00 2007 Marqués de Cáceres Rioja Rosado Review Date - 9/1/2008 Score - 89 Tasting Note: Consistently a winner vintage after vintage, this dry, full-bodied rosé shows a lovely deep reddish pink. Aromas take on the scent of strawberries, raspberries, with the slightest suggestion of tangerine zest. The red fruit characters continue on the palate, gathering subtle spice nuances The long finish is crisp and clean. Very compelling, and an excellent value. Grape types: Tempranillo 80%; Garnacha 20%. Serve moderately chilled, 50-55ºF/10-13foC. A great value. Foods: Oh, so many1! Shrimp, crab and red pepper spread; grilled seafood with rémoulade sauce; chicken wings; fried chicken; grilled sausage with roasted red peppers; faro salad with grape tomatoes, black olives and feta cheese (DeKalb Farmers Market); barbecue; paella smoked or roast chicken; pork chop or roast pork loin or tenderloin; even decent with collard greens. Georgia Distributor: Empire Distributing $8.00 2004 Three Sisters Vineyards Pinot Blanc Lumpkin County Review Date - 9/1/2008 Score - 88 Tasting Note: A mutation of Pinot Gris, and thus of Pinot Blanc, Pinot Blanc is most often associated with Alsace in France, although its origins are Burgundian. Today, little remains of it in Burgundy. But the north Georgia mountains lay claim to some. This example is a medium-bodied white wine with a pale straw color. True to the grape type, the aromas are not intense or immediate, but subtle tones of pear and white melon make their way through the Pinot Blanc cloud. On the palate, flavors--still pear and white melon-- are elegant and refined, while the texture is silky and round. A slight note of the taste (not the sweetness) of honey finds its way into the sensations. Serve at 50-55ºF/10-13ºC. Foods: mild fish and white meat dishes with cream; chicken thighs braised on a bed of caramelized onions, with mashed potatoes mild, creamy cheeses. Georgia Distributor: Three Sisters Winery self distributes $18.00 2007 Cape Mentelle Sauvignon Blanc-Semillon Margaret River Review Date - 9/1/2008 Score - 90 Tasting Note: Warm weather calls for light- to medium-bodied wines that are enhanced by being chilled, show lively fruit and good, crisp acidity. This is just such a wine. With hits pale greenish straw color, its aromas of lemongrass, citrus (grapefruit) zest, and a hint of white pepper, this is an ideal warm-weather wine. As it opens in the glass, it acquires a suggestion of white stone fruits, and its mid palate is broad and fruit-laden, especially suggesting passion fruit and carabola (star fruit) . Good acidity keeps the long finish crisp, while the texture is creamy. A portion is barrel fermented. There might be just a bit of residual sugar here, but not above .2-.3. The ratios are 53% Sauvignon Blanc and 47% Semillon--the classic white Bordeaux blend. Serve moderately chilled, about 55ºF/13ºC in medium-sized tulip-shaped glasses. Drink young; not a keeper. Foods: feta cheese-stuffed green olives; feta or goat cheese; pasta with pesto; fresh oysters with lemon or baked with cream sauce and fresh herbs, very likely also Rockefeller; cheese-filled ravioli or tortellini with pesto; simple grilled fish or scallops; seafood our white-meat poultry with Asian accents. Georgia Distributor: National Distributing Co. $17.00 2007 Schloss Wallhausen Riesling Nahe Two Princes Review Date - 9/1/2008 Score - 88 Tasting Note: With typically moderate alcohol, Riesling makes a perfect choice for sipping out on the patio. This example shows a very pale straw color and some sweetness. But the zingy acidity keeps the sweetness in balance, staying its hand and not allowing it to become cloying. A delicate scent of citrus flowers provides initial interest, while the palate is framed by flavors of nectarine and kumquat. Minerality contributes its portion to the wine's complexity. Mouthwatering to the very last of the finish, the endgame is clean, crisp and compels another sip. Serve not too chilled, about 55-60ºF/13-15ºC. Foods: smoked salmon terrine; grilled ham steakwith mustard sauce; fish poached in beer, mustard cream sauce; light curries, such as lightly curried chicken salad; grilled chicken with yellow fruits and a curried mayonnaise; chicken thighs braised on a bed of caramelized onions; anything Asian exotic but not too hot in seasoning. Great little value. The Prince zu Salm-Salm and his son are the "two princes" of the label, and represent respectively the 31st and 32nd generation of winemakers at this estate. Interesting Atlanta connection: Felix Constantin Alexander Johann Nepomuk Prinz zu Salm-Salm, a Federal officer, was briefly the military and civilian governor of North Georgia after the U.S. Civil War. Georgia Distributor: Atlanta Wholesale Wine/NDC $13.00 2006 Valdivieso Rosé Cabernet Sauvignon Central Valley Review Date - 9/1/2008 Score - 88 Tasting Note: This weather begs for rosé, but not the simple sweet stuff that characters yesterday's pink wines. This example is exactly what we need more of: medium-bodied with a gorgeous, bright orange-rimmed fuchsia color. Aromas and flavors bring up thoughts of candied apples, strawberries, watermelon and red raspberries. This fresh and fruity-focused rosé wine shows lovely acidity is unpretentious and easy to enjoy. It invites sitting on the deck until the tree frogs start their nightly symphony talking with friends (or with no one), and NOT waxing snobbish about the wine. The grape is Cabernet Sauvignon. Serve in medium-sized, tulip-shaped glasses at about 55ºF/17ºC. Here's a test: as it warms up in the glass, it still tastes good. Foods to have handy include spicy shrimp spreads; smoked salmon mousse; shrimp and grits with saut/éed strips of sweet bell peppers and maybe a little tasso ham (a la Horseradish Grill); slightly spicy grilled sausages; Korean barbecue or good old-fashioned Southern barbecued chicken; Creole barbecued shrimp. Georgia Distributor: New World Wines $9.00 2007 Terra Andina Carmenere Central Valley Review Date - 9/1/2008 Score - 92 Tasting Note: Carmenére is a Bordeaux variety that nearly (but not entirely) disappeared post-phylloxera in Bordeaux, but made its way with French emigrants to Chile. There, for a long time, it was confused with Merlot, but now the truth is out and Carmenère it is for now and ever more. Quite a bit of "Cabernet Franc" in northern Italy Carmenère (you'll also see Carménère) shows a tendency to become herbaceous and typically is quite dark in color. The former is not true of this example, but the latter is. This Carmenère shows a lovely dark violet red color and an aroma of luscious dark fruits from black currants to blackberries. The same fruit flavors continue to the palate, and the tannins are supple and fruit-derived. Moderate acidity and just a bit of residual sugar finish the profile. It tastes best consumed around 60-65ºF/15-17ºC in a Bordeaux glass (large tulip-shaped). It is, after all, a Bordeaux variety. This is a first-class value. Foods: meat-filled empanadas; hamburgers; well-marinated steaks or steak with chimichurri sauce; smoked chicken; grilled sausages and red peppers, Southern barbecue; roast duck, grilled lamb steaks. Georgia Distributor: New World Wines $8.00 2007 Roberto Anselmi Veneto San Vincenzo IGT Review Date - 9/1/2008 Score - 92 Tasting Note: The ideal warm weather wine sees no oak, preferring to rest in stainless steel and bottle before being released. Moderate alcohol is another key, along with crispness, good acidity, and complexity. Just such a wine is this lovely, complex wine from a master Soave producer. If you've grown accustomed to thinking of Soave as bland and characterless, you're in for a revelation. The aromas jump out of the glass with a variety of sensations at hand, including white fruits and minerals. On the palate, the silky texture and depth of flavor from start through mid-palate and long finish focuses on the same white fruits and enhanced minerality. Some writers describe this wine as "simple." Rubbish. It's wonderfully complex. Grape types: Garganega 80%, Chardonnay (15%) and Trebbiano di Soave (a'k/a Verdicchio) (5%). Serve moderately chilled, about 55ºF/113ºC in medium-sized tulip-shaped glasses. Enjoy the day you open it; loses its bloom the next day. Foods: pasta salads with creamy dressings; grilled scallops or mild fish with tartar sauce; chicken salad; herbed creamy soft cheese with vegetables for dipping; potato salad with oil and vinegar and cumin seed; shrimp salad; crab cakes, white or margherita pizza. Winery says smoked fish, but I tried two and found both dreadful with the wine. Georgia Distributor: National Distributing Co. $15.00 2006 Zolo Malbec Mendoza Review Date - 9/1/2008 Score - 91 Tasting Note: Although it may have originated in Hungary, Malbec came to Argentina from Bordeaux, but today, Malbec is the backbone of Cahors, which lies east of Bordeaux. In Cahors, where it's also known as Côt, AOC regulations require the grape to constitute 70% of the blend. With its depth of color, it makes splendid rosés (Melipal, Unique World Wine, $13, and Susana Balbó, Quality, $12, both from Argentina). Typical of the grape, the color in this example is a nearly opaque purple red with violet tones. Its aromas tend toward intense black fruits with some red fruit characters accompanying them on the palate--notably a touch of red raspberry in the finish. Big but not jammy, the flavors are framed by supple tannins, and supported by a touch of oak--just three months in French oak. Alcohol is moderately high, at 13.8%, but shows when it's tasted at higher room temperature, unless served with rich foods. It does better cooler, at about 65ºFF/17ºC.. Lots of foods: Peppered liver pâté or salamis (especially when served cool), smoked liverwurst (Patak/DeKalb Farmers Market); all manner of cured meats and salumi; empanadas and matambre (a rolled, stuffed, flank steak served sliced and cold), roasted rack of lamb, balaco with tomato, vegetable terrines, ratatouille, barbecue, roast duck. Georgia Distributor Unique World Wines $13.00 2005 M'hudi Pinotage Stellenbosch Review Date - 9/1/2008 Score - 92 Tasting Note: Pinotage--the grape achieved in the early 20th century by crossing Pinot Noir and Cinsault--is South Africa's icon grape. Its unfortunate reputation for medicinal "band-aid" aromas frequently keeps consumers from enjoying it. But new young producers are finding ways of eliminating those troublesome aromas, although its fans in South Africa often yearn for "old style" Pinotage. Most of us don't. This one shows a deep, lovely purple plum color, and reveals lots of fresh dark fruit in the aromas and flavors. Not a whiff of band-aid. Easy tannins. Foods: braised oxtails rr short ribs of beef cooked in Pinotage; cold steak salad; Derived from the Setswana word, “mohudi” meaning “harvester, ”. M'Hudi also is the heroine of an African story in which she flees her war-ravaged village crossing dangerous terrain and ultimately finding a new beginning. She is symbolic of the relentless pursuit of one’s dreams and aspirations. Former ad agency copywriter Tseliso Rangaka, owner, and his sister Lebogang, marketing, are guided by folks from Villiera, which produces amazing wines. Try also the Sauvignon Blanc, ideal for summer sipping. Georgia Distributor: Bacco Fine Wine $17.00 2004 Vinedos y Bodegas Pablo Menguante Garnacha Cariñena Review Date - 9/1/2008 Score - 92 Tasting Note: This medium-full-bodied dry red wine is the perfect red wine for warm weather, to go with grilled meats, barbecue, and roasted or grilled vegetables. Although it has hefty alcohol--14?%--it's still a fine, fruit-filled wine that can be enjoyed with many foods. Or even by itself. First, enjoy the bright, deep ruby red color and good extraction. Vines that are 80 years old provide intensely flavored, small berries. The aromas focus on fine dark berries, and firm but friendly tannins frame the sweet dark fruit, a tumble of blackberry, blueberry and black currant flavors. The hint of caramel comes from the likely use of American oak, but in this case it's not aggressive. Silky textured and long in the finish, with a note of dried dark fruits in the close, this is a wine for lots of purposes, from rustic to fancy. It's also a potential short-term keeper if well cellared. Foods: Smoked liverwurst; steak with blue cheese sauce; grilled duck breast; eggplant-based vegetarian dishes;, such as escalivada; cured meats; grilled ham steak; barbecue; pasty-wrapped sausages with mustard; blue and firm aged cheeses. Georgia Distributor: Metro Premium Wines $19.00