Santa Julia 2015 Pinot Grigio ($12.29): This Argentine white is attractive on several levels: the price; the sustainable policies under which it is grown and vinified; as well as its aroma and flavour.
Created in honour of owner Jose Zuccardi’s only daughter, Julia, I enjoyed its aroma of ripe pears, apple and melon. The fresh fruit continues as you enjoy a sip, balanced by the acidity from the Mendoza vineyards. And the lemony finish lingers and makes you long for another taste.
Checkout the Winederlusting website at WineDerLusting.com for wine-food pairings and recipes. It recommends sushi with pinot grigio and Richmond residents certainly have a giga-large appetite for sushi. But fish tacos and other white fish recipes also pair well with a pinot grigio.
Caliterra 2015 Reserva Shiraz Rosé ($12.99): Let’s head west over the Andes to Chile and the Colchagua Valley. Situated south-west of the capital, Santiago, it enjoys a Mediterranean climate, is relatively new and is often called the Napa Valley of Chile because of its tourist appeal. Part of the reason for the link with the Napa is because Caliterra was established as a partnership between Robert Monday and Errazuriz, although now it’s 100 per cent Errazuriz-owned.
The Caliterra displays a gorgeous Provence rosé hue. From its nose with generous citrus scents to its rich flavour of berries and oranges, it is well balanced, crisp and refreshing, lots of fruitiness in your mouth but dry in the finish like Provencal rosés. The Caliterra has lots of finesse in its finish and works well with food or enjoyed on its own.
Radio Boka 2015 Rosé ($13.49): Tune yourself into the latest broadcast of a Spanish rosé. When the sun shines, you can’t have enough rosés to celebrate the season. It’s produced from Tempranillo, the best Spanish red varietal, grown in Valencia, home of the orange!
Coincidentally, the aroma has enchanting Grand Marnier orange scents blended with summer strawberries. Not surprisingly, those same fruits are in the flavour along with some juicy blueberry to add to the complexity. Radio Boka has less acid and a touch of sweetness compared with the dry Caliterra so it is softer and probably works better as a sipper than a food companion. Serve it chilled and the off-dry finish will seem drier.
Blu Giovello Prosecco Extra Dry DOC ($17.99): Our fourth wine comes in an eye-catching cobalt blue bottle and is made near the Dolomites in the Veneto region of northern Italy.
Blue Giovello certainly is a frothy sparkler! Freshness and Prosecco go hand in hand and the golden delicious apple, pear, and lemon meringue personality is a cool way to beat the heat and relax. Ironically, extra dry means slightly sweet, so this is a good aperitif and reception wine.
I first tried this Prosecco very chilled but I found the bouquet and flavours were muted.
Letting it warm up slightly for 15 minutes allowed its charming personality to emerge out of the bottle.
Next time, we travel to Vancouver Island’s Touch of Tuscany, the Cowichan Valley and sample distinctive wines from Blue Grouse Estate Winery.
Eric Hanson is retired Richmond teacher and wine educator
