I have always maintained that a good meal can be transformed into a great dining experience when a complimenting wine accompanies it. This is particularly important for restaurants. Those that understand and incorporate this principle into their business model should be recognized.

Now it’s one thing for this backwater gourmand to say nice things about a grubbery, but when a prestigious international magazine – like The Wine Spectator – does…well…that, to use the local vernacular, is “spay-chull ” (or special for those whose ears are unaccustomed to our twang).

Therefore, wine lovers and foodies in West Virginia should be proud to know that the annual Wine Spectator restaurant awards were recently announced and that 12 Mountain State establishments are among those receiving the lofty honors.

According to the magazine, “Wine Spectator’s restaurant wine list awards program recognizes restaurants whose wine lists offer interesting selections, are appropriate to the cuisine and appeal to a wide range of wine lovers.

“To qualify for an award, the list must present complete, accurate wine information. It must include vintages and appellations for all selections, including wines by the glass…” The three categories of awards are: “Awards of Excellence;” “Best of Awards of Excellence;” and the “Grand Award.”

Only 2880 restaurants across world have received the “Award of Excellence,” including nine restaurants in our state. Three other WV restaurants, the Bavarian Inn and the Greenbrier’s Main Dining Room and Prime 44 West, received “Best of Awards of Excellence. ” That’s quite an honor since only 788 restaurants on the planet achieved that distinction.

The state restaurants receiving “Awards of Excellence are: Bridge Road Bistro, Charleston; The Chop House, Charleston; Ember, Snowshoe Mountain Resort; The Glasshouse Grille, Morgantown; La Bonne Vie, Chester (at Mountaineer Racetrack); Provence Market Café, Bridgeport; Sargasso, Morgantown; Savannah’s, Huntington; and Spats, Parkersburg (in the Blennerhassett Hotel).

Tell your friends and associates about the award winners and encourage them to patronize these restaurants. I know there are many other fine restaurants in the state that are very close to achieving a Wine Spectator  award.

Two Charleston restaurants that get WineBoy kudos for not only presenting delicious cuisine, but for taking their wine lists seriously are the South Hills Market and Café and the Bluegrass Kitchen. While the lists at both establishments are not exceptionally deep, they are well selected and the food is superb!

While these awards probably won’t go a very long way toward changing the stereotypical hillbilly image some flatlanders have of us, I think it does argue for an upgrade to the traditional seven-course West Virginia gourmet meal.

Instead of a six-pack and a chili dog, how about a fried green tomato, three sausage biscuits with gravy, a corn dog and a moon pie all washed down with a flagon of Uncle Roger’s Ramp Rose’?

We’re movin’ on up !

So which pinot noirs at the International Pinot Noir Celebration (IPNC) stood out to yours truly at that lovely weekend event in the Willamette Valley? So many were special, but several exceeded my expectations.

As I mentioned last time, there were two evening tastings at IPNC where approximately 100 wineries were featured. The task of tasting the wines and then evaluating each was, to say the least, daunting, but your intrepid boy of wine was up to the task. Armed with a pen, notepad and palate, I plodded through the exercise and came away with a purple tongue and some unexpected insights.

First eye-opener was the quality of the 2007 Oregon pinot noir vintage. Largely (and prematurely) panned, the 2007 wines are certainly leaner than many of the recent Oregon pinot noir vintages, but they uniformly showed a silkiness and suppleness that is very appealing. Given a few years in bottle, these wines will continue to develop complexity and should be delightful for years to come.

The 2008 vintage in Oregon is already being hailed as one of the best ever. Deep, rich and earthy, these are more hedonistic wines than their 2007 older brothers. The tannins are harder and therefore the wines will require a few years in bottle to reach drinkability. But make no mistake, these will be excellent wines.

One of the most important aspects in producing quality finished wines is the art of blending. As a home wine maker, I can attest to the fact that blending different wines (made from different grapes) can produce a more refined and complex finished product. However, I have never had the opportunity to blend wines made from the same grape and vintage date – until a seminar at IPNC.

This particular seminar was held at Selena Winery – a brand new facility within the Yamhill Carelton AVA. The focus of the seminar was on the importance of blending and it was hands (or should I say lips) on. Our group was divided into tables of eight, each of which was presided over by an Oregon wine maker. The wine maker was there to answer technical questions, but was not involved in choosing our blend.

Our job was to create a final blend out of wine made from three different 2008 Selena pinot noir vineyards. Each of the wines we tasted had different characteristics, and it was our job to agree upon the proper proportion of each to achieve the blend which would then be evaluated by a panel of professionals.

Charleston native Kevin Wiles Oregon pinot noir

Guess what? Our table’s blend was judged best! I’m sure it was my years of home wine making experience that put us over the top (actually, the blend I suggested was picked by another table and came in third place). Anyway, this was not only great fun, it was also an insightful exercise that gave us an appreciation for how difficult it is to make good wine even better.

There is no doubt that pinot noir is among the most food friendly wines on the planet, and a key component in producing excellent wine requires not only geography, science and wine making skills, but also people with experienced palates to create the final blends.

So which Oregon pinot noirs tickled my palate most? Here is listing of my favorite wines, including one made by Charleston native Kevin Wiles whose 2008 Wiles Cellars Hope Cuvee is a delicious, round and rich wine I had the pleasure sipping with lunch in McMinnville one afternoon. You may contact Kevin and order the wine direct from him by calling 843-338-0583 or emailing him at  mrkevinwiles at msn.com .

Other favorite wines: Domaine Serene, Bergstrom, Brooks, Chehalem, Elk Cove, Lange (they also make a killer pinot gris), Lemelson, Redhawke, Scot Paul, St. Innocent, Domaine Drouhin and Raptor Ridge.

If you are a pinot noir lover too, you might want to consider a trip out to the Willamette Valley to sip some of the best wines on this planet. Better yet, sign up for next year’s IPNC event to be held July 28-31. Check it out online at:  info at ipnc.org or by calling 800-775-4762.

I have a love affair with pinot noir! Among its many attributes, I am most impressed (and mystified) by the wine’s unique ability to pair incredibly well with an array of edibles, including fish, fowl, lamb, beef and a whole host of vegetables.

Pinot noir is a very difficult wine to produce. From vineyard to bottle, it is a perilous journey for this thin-skinned grape which gained it’s world-class reputation in the fields of Burgundy. There, Mother Nature can be cruel and, on average, only three in ten vintages escape the ravages of hail, cold temperatures or harvest rain to produce excellent wines.

Here in the U.S., the problem with pinot noir for the first three-quarters of the 20th Century wasn’t the weather, but rather the heavy-handedness of the few wine makers who grew the grapes, more often than not in completely inappropriate soils and microclimates.

Pinot noir needs a long, cool growing season to reach its full potential, and then must be vinified into wine by deft, artisan wine makers who understand and appreciate the complex nature of the grape. Until the 1980’s, most American pinot noir producers were more Attila the Hun than Emily Post.

However, in the past three decades, we’ve come a long way baby!

Now California and Oregon, along with other new world pinot noir producers like those in New Zealand and Chile, are getting the most out of this temperamental grape. While each country (and viticultural appellations within them) produce distinctive versions of pinot noir, the good news is the wines are now uniformly good.

To get my pinot noir fix, I once again attended the International Pinot Noir Celebration (IPNC) in McMinnville, Oregon in the heart of the Willamette Valley. This weekend-long event held in July of each year is the Holy Grail of pinot noir gatherings. I have written about this marvelous wine and food extravaganza in year’s past, but it bears repeating.

The northern Willamette Valley (about 60 miles south of Portland) is where the most famous Oregon wineries are located within several American Viticultural Appellations (AVA’s) including Chehalem Mountains, Dundee Hills, Eola-Amity Hills, McMinnville, Ribbon Ridge, and Yamhill Carlton.

Pinot Noir Vineyards in Oregon's Williamette Valley

Within these AVA’s, wineries such as Domaine Serene, Argyle, Elk Cove, Ken Wright, Ponzi and more than 200 others produce pinot noir in styles distinctly different from wines made from the same grape grown in different parts of the world. In fact, I believe pinot noir from the Willamette Valley has more in common with Burgundy than it does with wine produced from the same grape in California.

Don’t assume, however, that all pinot noir made in Oregon tastes exactly the same. It doesn’t. Yet there is a taste characteristic which I’ll describe here as “earthy” that seems to be present in most of the wines. This is not to suggest that the wines taste like dirt, but rather they exhibit a flavor nuance not unlike the taste of fresh mushrooms.

This is very subtle, but it’s fairly distinctive. Some Burgundies have a hint of this flavor component, but they have a lighter mouth feel (generally speaking) and more acid than the wines from Oregon or California. Anyway, it’s kind of fun to note these dissimilarities. Take California pinot noir for example. More dramatic differences are evident when one compares Oregon to California.

Whether from Carneros, the Santa Rita Hills or the Russian River Valley, these California wines are generally  rounder and seem to have more deep, dark fruit flavors and less acidity than their Oregon counterparts. Yet both states’ pinot noir can be excellent accompaniments to a wide variety of dishes.

Ah, food…

While my affection for pinot noir was the primary catalyst for the return trip to IPNC, I must admit that memories of the “incredible edibles” prepared by a host of talented chefs from all over the Pacific Northwest was an equal attraction.

Salmon Bake at IPNC

In fact, in a few short days we participated in and consumed wine and food at two multi-course dinners, two luncheons (all outdoors in perfect weather conditions) and a Champagne brunch featuring food almost too visually appealing to eat – almost!

In addition, we attended and sipped wine at four seminars (including one at a winery) and two evening receptions, featuring more than 100 wineries from Oregon, Burgundy, New Zealand and California.

Hands-on blending seminar at Selena Winery

Now, before you get the impression that this was an out-of-control bacchanalian orgy, let me emphasize that the more than 600 people attending this event were under control, and I saw no evidence of stumbling, bumbling or slurring.

I did, however, observe many people spitting wine into Styrofoam cups or pouring their wine into dumping vessels. By the way, spitting is an acceptable practice in wine tasting, particularly when the taster must evaluate multiple wines.
And no, I didn’t observe anyone drinking from the dump bucket like the actor in the movie “Sideways.”

However, I do think we West Virginians have genetic advantage when it comes to accurately expectorating. It comes from generations of our kinfolk who were adept at hitting a spittoon from great distances in saloons. There, such oral feats were commonplace and necessary to avoid bodily harm if the expectorant missed its target.

Next time, I’ll list some of my favorite wines at the event.

Boy do I love my grill! Not only does it provide me with the consummate summertime cooking tool, it also offers me the perfect excuse to postpone completing other (less enjoyable) chores like cutting the grass and cleaning out the basement.

Over the years I have touted the virtues of charcoal over gas grilling, but, regardless of your preference, nothing beats the flavor of outdoor cooking. Whether you’re searing a hunk of red meat, slow roasting a rack of baby backs or smoking a filet of salmon, grilling improves the flavor of just about any food – even vegetables.

That’s right, I said vegetables!

With a little preparation and a lot of imagination, you can coax a whole new palate of flavors out of veggies when you grill them. The key is to be vigilant and cautious because there is a fine line between delicious success and utter disaster. In other words, you need to tend them carefully or you could quickly end up with something more akin to forest fire remnants than grilled vegetables.

But I think it’s worth the risk because grilling these edible plants also creates an added benefit for we wine lovers. The smoky, slightly charred flavors of grilled vegetables add a taste dimension that enables normally delicate plants like…say… green beans and asparagus to pair very well with medium bodied reds and fuller-bodied whites. Say hallelujah!!

So today, brothers and sisters, I’m going to suggest the perfect method to prepare, grill and serve up a platter of lip smacking vegetables that will transport a vegan to gustatory heaven, and make a veggie convert out of the most ardent carnivore. Then I’m going to suggest a couple of excellent wines to wash it all down.

I’m a big fan of the local food movement, and I spend a great deal of time perusing the aisles of our own Capitol Market ‘s outdoor section for fresh produce picked daily by area farmers. Right now, you can find just about any vegetable grown in the northern hemisphere from all manner of peppers, to corn, green beans, squash and, of course, tomatoes.

You may even find the unexpected. Just last week, I purchased zucchini blossoms (for 25 cents each) at the market, stuffed them with a mixture of goat cheese and provolone and sautéed them in some olive oil –spectacular! We ate these lovely, delicate morsels as an appetizer and accompanied them with 2009 Natura Sauvignon Blanc ($11) from Chile.

Zucchini blossoms

Marinated and Grilled Veggies:

1 red and one yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut lengthwise in half
2 peeled zucchinis, two yellow squash, cut lengthwise into half-inch wide rectangles
1 large onion, peeled and cut into quarter inch circles
1 lb. asparagus, bottom two inches cut off spears
2 hot (optional) banana peppers, cut into long strips one inch wide
2 bulbs of fennel, split lengthwise, top two-thirds discarded
2 heads of radicchio (aka red chicory) halved
2 Portobello mushrooms cut in half
4 ounces of shredded mozzarella
3 ounces of extra virgin olive oil
2 talbespoons each of balsamic vinegar and chopped fresh basil
2 teaspoons each of kosher salt, black pepper and minced garlic,

Prepare a marinade by combining and blending the olive oil, minced garlic, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper and basil

Place veggies in a large bowl and mix, allowing the vegetables to marinate for one hour

Fire up a charcoal or gas grill to medium heat and place the vegetables on the grill surface, being careful not to allow smaller ones to fall into the fire. Turn them regularly to avoid burning

When veggies are limp and tender, arrange them on a plate in layers, sprinkling the cheese in between layers and drizzling olive oil and balsamic vinegar on top. You can also sprinkle additional chopped basil over the top.

Allow the vegetables to come to room temperature and serve by themselves or as an accompaniment to any grilled meat, sausage or fish dish

The great thing about grilled vegetables is their versatility in working with both red and white wines. I think you’ll like how they pair nicely with the 2008 Castle Rock Pinot Noir Carneros ($14) or the 2008 Franciscan Chardonnay ($20).

My short stay in Monterey County was highlighted by several tastings at some of the area’s best wineries. As I mentioned a couple of weeks ago (in my first installment), Monterey is a sea of wine with nine distinct American Viticultural Appellations or AVA’s.

While the county is probably best known for pinot noir and chardonnay, the amazing geographical diversity of the area allows wine makers to plant and vinify a wide variety of grapes. From cabernet sauvignon, merlot and cabernet franc to sauvignon blanc, viognier and riesling, to syrah, zinfandel and petit sirah, you name it and Monterey County probably produces it.

My base of operations in the county was the idyllic coastal village of Carmel By The Sea. Probably better known outside California as the town Clint Eastwood led as mayor some years ago, Carmel is a charming little berg with excellent small inns and restaurants.

Carmel is also adjacent to the world famous Pebble Beach Resort where the US Open Golf tournament was recently completed. As a golfer, I am an accomplished wine drinker.

That is to say, while I’m not very good advancing that little white ball down the fairway and into the hole, I do enjoy (and am very adept at) the après golf scene, particularly the “19th” hole tradition of toasting the game. At about $500 for a round of golf at Pebble Beach, I decided to forego the first 18 holes and , instead, go directly to the clubhouse for the 19th hole toast.

Heller produces more than 15 wines and I actually tasted most of them. In fact, they make petit verdot (one of the blending grapes in Bordeaux) as a single varietal and the 2007 ($25) is a mouthful of wine with tones of chocolate, pepper and dark fruit.

While the 2007 Chardonnay ($24) is an excellent, balanced wine with hints of apricot and citrus, it is the 2008 Chenin Blanc ($25) that captivated me. I was impressed with the full mouth feel and richness of the wine. It also possesses the crispness to not only be a good accompaniment to lighter style seafood and chicken dishes, it also would make a nice aperitif.

The red wines are led by a 2002 Merlot ($30) which tastes more “right bank” Bordeaux than California. It’s amazing the wine is still available for sale and it shows how good merlot can be when it is grown in the appropriate AVA. Full, supple and rich, it still has a life and would go wonderfully well with roast pork tenderloin in a mustard crème sauce.

The 2007 Dancer’s Meritage ($24) is a symphony of flavors with a nice balance of cabernet sauvignon, merlot and other traditional Bordeaux blending grapes adding to the harmony of this silky wine. Smooth around the edges, it would make a nice pairing with grilled veal chops marinated in rosemary, garlic and olive oil.

You might also sample the wines of Bernardus, Cima Colina, Morgan, Estancia, Galante, Paraiso and Mer Soleil – all from Monterey County. Ask your wine retailer about the wines mentioned. Many are available, but you may need to order others online. Simply Google the winery and check out the instructions for online ordering.

Some much wine, so little time!

Before I continue with the tasting notes from my recent trip to California, I want to spend this week telling you about a wine-related event worth attending. The fifth annual “Summer Sipping: Wine and Roses” celebration will take place on Thursday July 15, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Capitol Market. Proceeds will benefit the Roark-Sullivan Lifeways Center (RSLC) in Charleston.

The RSLC assists individuals experiencing homelessness with services that help them become self-reliant. It is a very special organization with a great group of dedicated employees and volunteers. For the past several years, Capitol Market has been providing the venue for this excellent event. Wouldn’t it be great to help programs like Roark-Sullivan and enjoy good wine and gourmet food, too?

Well, you can!  Join me and other wine lovers sip and enjoy great food for a very worthy cause. The wines will be matched with gourmet appetizers prepared by Capitol Market Food Vendors. In addition, many of the wines featured at the tasting will be available at the Capitol Market Wine Shop for purchase at the event.

Area wine distributors and locally owned Napa Valley winery, Falcor, are donating the wines.  And believe me, there will be exceptional wines available for your sipping pleasure from all over the world.  Tickets for the event can be purchased for $25 by calling 304-414-0109 (est. 20) and using your credit card, or by sending a check to: RSLC, P.O. Box 1707, Charleston, WV, 25326. Tickets may also be purchased at the door.

Hey, and I’ll be there to answer your wine questions and chat about the tasty treats we’re sipping.

I count myself fortunate to have the time and resources to engage my passion for good wine and food. Others in our town, state and nation are not so fortunate. Each day is a challenge for them. Many of our fellow citizens are dealing with debilitating physical, emotional and mental issues that make each day a struggle to survive. Their goal is simply to find food to eat and a place to sleep. Fortunately, there are agencies in our communities that exist solely to assist these people, many of whom are homeless.

RSLC operates the 60-bed Giltinan Center on Leon Sullivan Way (formerly the Charleston Men’s Emergency Shelter) and the 16-bed Twin Cities Center in St. Albans and provides comprehensive services such as healthcare maintenance; substance abuse and mental health assistance; outreach; and transitional and aftercare services. Last year, RSLC constructed and opened a Veterans Transitional Center adjacent to the Giltinan Center that provides services to homeless veterans.

The Roark-Sullivan Lifeways Center and other such organizations exist because of state and federal programs funded by your taxes, and through your generous personal contributions.  Please join me and raise a glass for a great cause!  

 I hope to see you there.

When most of us think of California wine country our thoughts naturally track to Napa or Sonoma counties- two of the most famous wine appellations in the entire world.

However, if you are unfamiliar with Monterey County, you need to take a trip down the Golden State’s coast (about a 100 miles south of San Francisco) and sample the truly amazing variety of wines produced in this topographically diverse region.

Just recently, I had occasion to re-visit the area and today I’ll try and paint a picture of the region as well as share some of my tasting notes from some of Monterey’s best wines.

In addition, the Monterey Peninsula is also an overflowing cornucopia of fruits and vegetables with thousands of acres of fertile farm land producing everything from artichokes to garlic.

From Carmel Valley and the Santa Lucia Highlands in the north to San Bernabe and San Antonio Valley in the south, Monterey County is an incredibly large wine producing region with more than 40,000 acres of vineyards, 85 wineries and nine distinct American Viticultural Areas (AVA’s). It also features breath-taking vistas of the Pacific Ocean, picturesque seaside villages and the rugged coastal highlands.

Sunset at Big Sur

The variety of soil composition, topography and unique micro-climates allow the county to produce a wide range of wine styles. Probably the most significant influence on grape growing in Monterey is the Pacific Ocean where just off the coast the depth of the sea plunges more than two miles.

This “Blue Grand Canyon” as it is locally known has a tremendous effect on the coastal climate where summertime temperatures on shore can reach triple digits during the day and plunge 40 or 50 degrees F at night. In addition, morning fog delays the heat and combines to give Monterey County a long, cool growing season which is perfect for just about all great varietals, particularly chardonnay and pinot noir.

I had the occasion to taste a fairly wide variety of wines from different AVA’s in Monterey County, and I was pleasantly surprised by their overall balance of fruit, alcohol and acidity As you know from reading these tomes, I value wines that pair well with food and are balanced, especially ones that are subtle and complex. I certainly prefer wines of this style rather than the “in your face” alcoholic fruit bombs that seem to have a gained a cult wine following and which are more suited to accompanying road kill than real food. But I digress.

Along the Coast in Monterey County

My first stop was the tasting room at Robert Talbott Vineyards. Talbott was founded in 1982 and the winery concentrates on pinot noir and chardonnay grapes planted in two distinct estate vineyards – Sleepy Hollow in the Santa Lucia Highlands and the Diamond T in Carmel Valley. I was led through the tasting of the Talbott portfolio of wines by Ross Allen, director of marketing and a wine industry veteran.

Ross Allen Talbott Vineyards

Here are my tasting notes for the Talbott wines. Incidentally, these wines should be available throughout the state.

2008 Talbott Kalie Hart Chardonnay ($24)  Named after Robb Talbott’s daughter Kalin, this wine literally bursts with clean, crisp chardonnay fruit, yet it has roundness on the finish that comes from extended aging on the lees. Nicely balanced with citrus and peach notes, I would suggest pairing it with halibut in a beurre blanc sauce.

2008 Talbott Sleepy Hollow Chardonnay ($40) The essence of what California chardonnay can and should be, this wine is a combination of power and subtly with ripe apricot and peach flavors and a nose of butterscotch and freshly baked bread. Exceptionally balanced with a lingering finish, the Sleepy Hollow chardonnay deserves to be accompanied by either roasted Chilean sea bass or lobster and drawn butter.

2008 Talbott Logan Pinot Noir ($26) This Santa Lucia Highlands pinot noir (named after Robb’s son Logan) is a medium bodied wine with jammy, earthy aromas, ripe cherry/cola flavors and a hint of spice and vanilla on the finish. Pork tenderloin roasted and sauced with cherries or blueberries would be a lovely combination with this tasty wine.

2008 Talbott Sleepy Hollow Vineyard Pinot Noir ($40) Spicy, rich and full bodied, the Sleepy Hollow pinot noir is a fairly powerful wine with dark fruit flavors balanced by an acid backbone that pulls the wine together. This one has some aging potential and should reward the patient wine lover with an even better experience with three to five years in bottle. Pair it now with grilled King salmon or apple wood smoked chicken.

Next time we’ll take a look at a few other wines from Monterey County. Stay tuned.

Last time, I regaled you with my version of wine and food pairings and today I’ll continue along that theme line with a little more emphasis on summertime wines.

Once the weather moderates, some people’s thoughts turn to gardening or even golf. Not mine. Summertime gets me (and my trusty old Weber) fired up to start grilling various hunks of meat and/or vegetables, and accompanying these tasty delights with picnic-style wines that refresh the body and the calm the spirit.

I’m not talking about altar wine here! No sireee Bob. I’m suggesting lighter-bodied whites and reds that fit the casual feel of outdoor cooking as well as pair terrifically with grilled foods. These lighter-style wines also benefit from a little chilling, particularly the reds, which will provide a refreshing counterpoint to the sometimes spicy entrees being prepared.

How about a crisp, herbaceous sauvignon blanc with herbal-suffused foods such as salmon with dill or grilled asparagus, or even a pesto of parsley and garlic over linguine? Look for lively sauvignon blancs from Nobilo, Alan Scott, Caymus, Groth, Estancia, Kenwood, St. Michelle, or Sterling that are wonderful accompaniments to these types of foods.

Sangiovese and pinot noir are my choices for red wines in the warm months, particularly when matched with grilled lamb. Whether you choose a boned and butter flied leg, chops or – my favorite – rack of lamb, these wines do not over-power the food, but rather compliment and enhance the flavors. From Tuscany, try wines such as Villa Banfi Centine and Monte Antico, as well as Chianti producers such as Monsanto, Fossi, Cecchi, Brolio, and Nozzole.

Light to medium bodied pinot noirs are also great choices for grilled chicken, lamb or beef dishes such as flank steak. Try wines from these producers: Carneros Creek, Chalone, Foris, Eveham Wood, La Crema and Monterey Vineyard.

Among the best choices for picnic fare is rose’ which can be used as both an aperitif and as an accompaniment to foods such as hot dogs, hamburgers or grilled sausages of all types. Some of my favorites include, Masciarelli Rose, Domain Lafond Tavel Rose, Bonny Doon Big House Pink, Tempier Bandol Rose and Mulderbosch Rose of Cabernet.

A Summertime Recipe

Okay, so here’s a recipe for a lovely grilled vegetable and pasta dish that would marry just about any of the wines mentioned above. Start with two large, sweet red peppers, which you will cut in, half lengthwise and core. Rub the peppers with olive oil, salt and pepper and garlic and then grill them over charcoal until they are scorched and limber – yet not limp.

Put the peppers aside and in a pan sauté a tablespoon of minced garlic, half a cup of parsley, one-half cup of onions and two tablespoons of chopped proscuitto or pancetta (Italian bacon). In another pot, bring two-cups of chicken or beef broth to a boil, and add one-half pound of orzo (the little pasta that looks like rice). Lower the heat and add the onions, garlic, etc. into the mixture and stir slowly on low to medium heat until the pasta is tender. Taste and adjust for salt and pepper.

Once the orzo is cooked add one-half cup of grated parmesan cheese and then stuff the red peppers with the mixture. Top the peppers off with a little mozzarella and put them into a 325-degree oven for ten to fifteen minutes and serve. You may accompany this dish with grilled lamb or chicken or eat it as a stand-along meal. Bon Appetit!

Summer is almost here and if you’re like me, you will do almost anything to avoid yard work. One of my  best “get out of yard work” ploys is to offer my services as chef de cuisine  in the Brown household from time to time.

I take this obligation seriously regardless of the menu  du jour and make sure that even the most humble meal is accompanied by an appropriate wine. Ah, but therein lies the challenge.

Pairing wine with an appropriate menu selection can be an intimidating exercise, particularly when you’ve invited a few friends or business associates to dinner.  However, it can also be fun. Today, I’ll give you a few tips that will hopefully make the experience more enjoyable than daunting.

I know you’ve all heard the first commandment in the food and wine bible: Thou shalt not match red wine with white meat or fish, nor white wine with beef, game or other meats.

For instance, there is hardly a better wine and food pairing for you carnivores than a thick, juicy steak accompanied by a full-bodied cabernet sauvignon like the ones produced at Franciscan, Silver Oak or Catena (from Argentina).

Likewise, it is hard to beat pairing a full-bodied, unctuous Chardonnay such as Chateau Montelena, Talley Vineyards or Falcor with a rich seafood dish like lobster with drawn butter.

While these two classic food and wine combinations seem to underscore the tenets of the food and wine bible, I’m going to advise you to break that commandment on occasion. After all, every now and then a little sinnin’ is fun. So let’s start breaking rules.

Fish with red wine?  You bet, but here’s a little tip: red wines, particularly medium-bodied ones such as pinot noir or sangiovese, match well with fully flavored fish such as salmon, tuna (not the canned kind) or sword fish. However, using these same wines with delicate seafood like sole, flounder or scallops will provide a sensation akin to running your fingernails down a blackboard.

Try matching a grilled fillet of salmon that has been dry rubbed with cumin, chili powder and brown sugar with a pinot noir like Domaine Serene Yamhill or David Bruce, or a sangiovese-based wine from Monte Antico or Cecchi Bonizio.  Lock your lips around a glass of one of these wines after a bite of grilled salmon and you may start speaking in tongues. These same type reds do well with white meats such as grilled chicken, veal or all cuts of pork too.

How about a big juicy hamburger with Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio?

Nah, it won’t work because the hamburger will overpower the delicacy of these particular wines. But try a medium-bodied white such as 2008 Wente Riva Ranch Chardonnay or a Rose (such as Mulderbosch Rose of Cabernet) and it works quite well.

Herbal flavored foods like those with sage, basil, rosemary or dill go great with the grassier-styled sauvignon blanc.  Kenwood, Dry Creek and Murphy-Goode come to mind as good accompaniments to herb-enhanced foods like pesto, sage dressings, dill mayonnaise and asparagus - just to name a few.

I love fuller-bodied reds with pasta in a marinara sauce. You may be surprised to know that I am not particularly fond of Chianti with this dish because I think it gets rolled over by the red sauce.  I suggest Zinfandel (Renwood Old Vines, Montevina, Ridge Geyserville) or blended wines such as Big House Red and Marietta Old Vines with traditional pasta in red sauce..

Sparkling wines are wonderful paired with  salty or spicy foods. Try Pierre Sparr Cremant Brut or Domaine Chandon Blanc De Noirs with smoked salmon , popcorn or  anchovies along with jalapeno and other hot pepper appetizers.

Gewurztraminer ( Hogue, Columbia, Navarro)  and riesling (Ch. Ste. Michelle, Hugel or Clairborne and Churchill) are spectacular with oriental dishes, particularly sushi, maki Thai and spicy Chinese cuisine.

For chocolate desserts save a little of that full-bodied Cabernet from dinner and give it a try. I also love Tawny Port  (Taylor or Fonseca) with nuts and blue cheese, and late harvest riesling (Chateau St. Jean) with.... …anything!

We have experienced a very warm spring here in West By Golly and so I’ve taken extra precautions to keep this delicate body hydrated. As you may know, I consider water a last resort option, preferring instead to slake my thirst with liquids that not only soothe a weary body, but heal the spirit too.

Of course, the most transcendent of all liquids is wine and so I have been sipping a fair portion lately, particularly those that are lighter and more refreshing in style. Here are a couple, you should find particularly pleasing.

2009 Crios Rose of Malbec – ($12) This Argentinean wine, produced from Malbec, is a fuller styled rose, yet it is a delicate mouthful of fresh strawberries with enticing acidity. While the wine is rich and lush, it also finishes dry and would make an exceptional accompaniment to grilled Italian sausages or barbecue chicken.

2009 Emiliana Natura Sauvignon Blanc ($11) From Chile, this organically grown sauvignon blanc is full of citrus aromas with lemon/lime and herbal flavors. It is a light to medium-bodied wine with good balancing acidity and would be an excellent match to pasta in a basil pesto sauce.
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One of Charleston’s most complete selection of wines (and spirits) can be found at The Liquor Company in the Patrick Street Plaza. I’ve mentioned this establishment before along with a few other places in town that not only offer a great selection of wine, but also expert advice.

Other notable shops that provide that added dimension are the Wine Shop at Capitol Market and the Kroger store at Ashton Place. The folks working at these establishments will go the extra mile to assist you in your search for the appropriate bottle to match your individual palate.

The Liquor Company has engaged Sam Uppala as consultant to the store and he has developed a varied program designed with the wine consumer in mind. Sam, by the way, is a certified wine educator and teaches classes on “The Art and Science of Wine” at the Clay Center. His next class will begin June 1st and you can find out more about it and sign up by calling 304-561-3517.

Tastings or “samplings” as they are referred to at The Liquor Company are conducted most Wednesday’s from 5 to 8 p.m. Cost is $5 and up to eight wines are made available for sipping. Upcoming samplings are scheduled for May 19, June 2 and June 16, but wines are available for tasting almost anytime during the day at the store’s “wine station” – which is a bar-like area in the rear of The Liquor Company.

In addition, The Liquor Company offers something called “The Grand Cru Loyalty Membership” that entitles members to special case discounts, free samplings and other goodies to enhance your wine shopping. Call the store at 304-346-6000 for details and pricing.