Sauvignon Blanc

For Karl Wente, music can be paired with wine as easily as food. When the fifth generation winemaker isn’t overseeing Wente Vineyards’ 3,000 acres of grapes in California’s Livermore Valley and Monterey County, he’s often at home in Livermore with friends, crafting music on his back porch or launching “Discover the Wine, Discover the Music,” the Web-based marketing campaign, in which Wente matches some of his wines with the work of several musicians.

Favorite beverage now : A glass of wine, paired with all senses of the occasion. It’s who you’re with, the temperature outside, the time of day, the music that’s on, the time of the year, the meal that you’re eating, the clothes that you’re wearing.

When I was five, my uncle, Phil Wente, mixed some wine with water at our house. It was very flavorful, without being sweet. It wasn’t like juice. There was just a lot going on.

Epiphany wine experience : During a summer break from high school at our cabin on Lake Tahoe, Mom handed me a glass of Wente’s 1991 Louis Mel Sauvignon Blanc and said, “Pop quiz: name that varietal.” I stuck my nose into it. It was so distinctly Sauvignon Blanc, I could almost picture the aromas. I was so proud to get it right.

Full Story: Then & Now With Karl Wente - Wine Enthusiast Magazine

Wine educator Ingo Grady says the case for using B.C. wine in the pot as well as to fill your glass is as simple as that. When the grapes, the herbs, the vegetables and the meat all come from the same soil, something special happens. Foodies call it terroir, which means the flavour of a place.

When he isn't training sommeliers for Mission Hill Family Estate winery, Grady is splashing some of B.C.'s best varietals into all kinds of things, including himself.

But table wine also has a place in your pantry. One of B.C.'s best grapes is the Pinot Grigio with flavours of citrus, green apple skins and peach. Its assertiveness is enough to perk up a heavier dish and it carries enough tartness to take the place of citrus in your recipes. Need a splash of lime? Try a splash of wine.

Grady likes to add some of the cooking liquid from his meat dish into his risotto to strengthen the common thread of flavours that run through the meal.

Full Story: Pinot Grigio in your glass and in your risotto - Vancouver Sun

Ah, summer! Hot, sunny days ideal for picnics. Evenings of lingering daylight perfect for barbecues and grilling. Months when the pace slows, providing plenty of time to enjoy the delicious foods of the season and pair them with equally delicious wines.

Like summer dining, summer wines are casual, flavorful and fun. Pure pleasure is the main objective in picking wines to go with the foods of summer, so the options are nearly as wide-ranging as the foods. Few wine selections will be a complete disaster, but a common sense approach can help you find the perfect wines to accompany your summer feasts.

Summer and all year around, the character of the food is the primary consideration when choosing a wine or wines to pair with it. A subtle, delicately flavored dish tastes best with a similarly subtle, delicately flavored wine and - not surprisingly - a robust, flavorful dish is best with a robust, flavorful wine. The best matches typically are made when the food and wine complement one another stylistically, for example, steamed lobster and a rich, oaky Chardonnay, but contrast - like steamed lobster and a crisp brut champagne - also can work. Last but not least, versatility should be a consideration when several dishes are to be paired with a single wine.

Whether prepared with a dry rub or sauce, summer barbecue has one common denominator - plenty of spice! Here's where medium-bodied reds with similar spice notes make a great match. Prime choices are Zinfandel and Syrah, including Kenwood Sonoma County Zinfandel, Valley of the Moon Syrah and Lake Sonoma Zinfandel. For those who prefer white wines, a dry, flavorful one with plenty of acidity - again, like Kenwood Sauvignon Blanc - works well, especially with barbecued chicken or barbecued turkey breast.

Full Story: Red, White and Cool: The Summer Wine Round-Up - PR-USA.net (press release)

There is this great grocery store by the condo we stay on the sunny Kohala Coast.  They have one of the most surprising (and affordable) wine selections we have seen.   This trip we found great selections including 2006 Miner Chardonnay, 2007 Napa Valley Silver Oak (priced at $50), 2007 Penner Ash Pinot Noir, and a fantastic Frank Family 2008 Chardonnay .  We had the Frank Family with our dinner one night of spicy poke with scallions and a big fresh salad with a macadamia nut vinaigrette.  The Frank Family is definitely a bold white; barrel fermented for 11 months and aged on the lees, creating a creamy, buttery white that still maintains its vibrancy.  Citrus and honey aromas with a nutty finish, the wine softened the spice in the tuna and enhanced the incredible macadamia nut vinaigrette.

We had dinner at our favorite spot on the Big Island, the Four Season’s Hualalai, which had re-oppend their Beach Tree Bar since we were last there.  Pumped up Pupus and regional cuisine, with an eclectic flair.  Truffled ricotta flatbread, incredible sushi, including a Hawaiian roll of tuna, mango and avocado, and Ahi tuna carpaccio with citrus, olive oil and black lava sea salt.  We paired with Domaine Drouhin’s Arthur Chardonnay .  The wine’s clean flavors helped the pure flavors of the fish shine.  Half of this Chardonnay is barrel fermented, the other half is stainless steal fermented, making this a very pure and elegant expression of the grape with a very French Chablis style.

We had dinner at 560 last weekend to enjoy some Dallas sushi.  Their Rainbow and Dragon rolls paired nicely with a bottle of Hartford Family Winery’s Four Hearts Vineyards Chardonnay .  Hartford Family Winery began in the early 1990’s and is dedicated to producing small lot Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and ZInfandel’s with character in Sonoma’s Russian River Valley.  The Four Hearts marries meyer lemon with light white peach and pear flavors.  Completely malolactic with spicy, creme-brulee aromas from 100% French oak barrel fermentation.

Going a bit lighter, I have had a few different Sauvignon Blancs lately that were both refreshing and filled with flavor and style.  I wrote about the Sbragia  Chardonnay a few weeks ago; I tried their Sauvignon Blanc the other night and enjoyed it as much as the Chardonnay.  Much more of an Old World style Sauv Blanc, with good minerality and tropical fruit flavors of pineapple and banana.  The wine is presented with a Vino-Seal glass top closure protecting the aromas and crisp flavors of the wine.  This is a great aperitif  to wake up the palate, drunk on its own or with Marcona almonds or goat cheese.

Full Story: What I'm Drinking Now: Spectacular White - D Magazine

There are many reasons to buy B.C. wines, not the least of which is they are produced locally. They also have an amazing ability to pair with West Coast cuisine.

Food aside, our local whites are easily capable of bearing the ultimate summer sipper moniker. From picnics to pre-dinner appetizers, these bottles of fresh, bright, high-acid wines will not only turn heads but tantalize your taste buds, too.

Today we take an early look at our favourite homegrown white wines. It’s the perfect list for the cabin or the patio and it should be relevant all summer, so make sure you clip it out and stick it on the refrigerator for future reference.

Bright and fresh with zesty acidity, it’s just the right mix of sweet limy mango fruit. Impressive styling and fun to drink. Bravo. Try it with chicken salad sandwiches or spicy Asian dishes.

Full Story: 25 fabulous summer sippers to savour - Vancouver Sun