Chenin Blanc

VANCOUVER -- The B.C. Day long weekend is in full swing and that usually means organizing or attending some sort of garden party or barbecue soiree. Such invitations can be perplexing. For instance, what is one to wear? Will it be shorts or khakis, flip-flops or loafers? If you tend to agonize over such things you might be interested to know that in a city full of budding oenophiles which wine you bring to the bash may say more about you than how well you are dressed.

Okay, maybe it’s not quite that crucial, but if your bottle of Fuzion Malbec is the 10th to arrive at the party you might as well not show up. Know that you can be as adventurous as ever in summer with wine and the sooner you drink something different the more fun you are likely to have.

There is something about eating and drinking outdoors in the summer that is hard to resist and bottles that offer instant gratification are usually a great fit in an al fresco environment. Certainly if the warm weather continues, it’s the fresh, aromatic flavours of wine that will have wide appeal.

Remember light and fruity doesn’t have to mean flavourless and flabby, nor should the wine possess a finish that is longer than the waiting times at the Peace Arch border crossing. The perfect summer sipper should be equipped with a balance of fruit and acid, moderate alcohol, low or no oak, and a clean, crisp, refreshing finish.

Gismondi: Take a long weekend wine adventure - Vancouver Sun

White wine with fish, red wine with meat. That’s what we’ve always been told. But it makes sense — fish dishes are lighter and more delicate in flavour. And if you follow the basic guidelines balancing the weight and texture of the food and the wine, it makes perfect sense to choose white over red.

But it’s not always that simple. Lighter red varieties, such as Pinot Noir, Gamay, Sangiovese and Grenache can work with oilier, meatier fish such as salmon, tuna, marlin, swordfish and mackerel. And rosé works, too — just stick to the drier mineral styles from Provence, say, or Bordeaux.

This depends as much on the way the ingredients are cooked as the flavours of the ingredients themselves— a steamed piece of cod is a world away from a rich, dark, octopus stew.

There’s no point, for example, putting a Pinot Grigio with bouillabaisse-style fish stew — it just wouldn’t stand up. But put it with an oaked Chardonnay, a Fumé Blanc or a Pinot Gris and the match is made. The bolder the flavour of the dish, the bolder the wine must be to stand up to it.

Food and drink matching: fish - Morning Advertiser

Just a few decades ago, people did not appreciate the herbaceous flavors that the grape was showing in California. They reserved their wine glasses instead for chenin blanc, chardonnay, French columbard and riesling.

Then Napa Valley realized it had been doing it all wrong when it came to sauvignon blanc. It was planted in the wrong places and in the wrong soils. Its best flavors were not brought out in either the vineyard or the cellar.

To help sell sauvignon blanc, Robert Mondavi created a new name for the wines — fume blanc — in a successful effort to align itself with the highly popular Pouilly Fume from France. Sauvignon blanc sales started to climb. Around the same time, New Zealand sauvignon blanc exploded on the wine scene instantly endearing wine lovers around the world to the grape.

It also didn’t hurt that sauvignon blanc was discovered to be one of the natural parents of the esteemed cabernet sauvignon plant giving sauvignon blanc a more regal standing in the wine world.

Sauvignon blanc: A keeper for Napa Valley - St. Helena Star

Well, before you get carried away and log on to TripAdvisor, let me give you one word of advice. Don't. Put down that chilled wine and step away from those holiday brochures right now.

Because, unless you and your friends have the tolerance of Mother Teresa, holidays together are never a good idea. Believe me, I know. I've been there. And I have a trail of broken friendships to prove it.

Because no matter how well you think you know your friends, you don't really know them until you've lived under the same roof for a week. That's roughly how long it takes to discover that your caring friend is really a hypochondriac control freak, that her husband's garrulous charm is actually the result of some seriously out-of-control drinking, and that their children are the Spawn of Satan.

One of the biggest problems with going on holiday with friends is the difference in expectations. You're looking forward to relaxing on the beach with Joanna Trollope's latest must-read, while their mission is to visit every ancient ruin within a 50-mile radius.

Want to lose friends quickly? Go on holiday with them... - Daily Mail

Are you partial to pinot noirs? Strings , 1700 Humboldt Street, has paired up with Marczyk Fine Foods and Republic National for the Passion of Pinot Noirs Wine Tasting, which will feature appetizers and a range of pinot noirs from around the world -- as well as some non-pinot wines to challenge the palate. The tasting runs from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., and admission is $30; call 303-831-7310 or visit www.stringsrestaurant.com .

In Longmont, Terroir hosts a Meet the Winemaker night with Ballentine Vineyards, pairing five courses with wines. Here's a taste of the menu...

The community-style dinner will start withh Mizuna salad with fresh melon, smoked prosciutto, Haystack chevre and mint vinaigrette, paired with Ballentine's Malvasia Bianco.

The dinner starts at 6:30 p.m. and costs $45 and up; Terroir is at 246 Main Street in Longmont. Call 303-651-0630 or visit www.terroir-restaurant.com .

Tonight: Wine tasting at Strings, wine dinner at Terroir - Westword (blog)