Andrew Switzer, wine agent for Richmond’s Christopher Stewart Wines, has selected three wines to make your summer tasty and exciting. They’re from different wine regions and have different styles, and he likes them all. And so do I!
Who doesn’t like to sit down on the patio and savour the sun and the relaxing mood with a refreshing wine? Switzer recommends the Landlust 2013 Mosel Riesling from Germany “an off-dry quintessential patio sipper.”
“Unfortunately Riesling is underappreciated and under consumed,” says Switzer. “You’d expect to pay a premium for a quality wine from the prestigious Mosel valley.” The Landlust’s price? $14.99.
The Mosel goes well with Thai and other Asian cuisine like sushi as well as shellfish and west coast dishes. Switzer explains the reason this Riesling goes so well with food and it tastes quite dry: “It’s because it has really high levels of acidity, a quintessential factor in making good wine. The acidity will balance out the sugar levels and give you the overall harmony, which you need in any wine. “I really enjoy the lime and pear on the nose, with the flavour of apples and peach and the tangy refreshing acidity.”
From a white, we switch colours and enjoy a red. “I can guarantee this will be the hit of this summer!” boasts Switzer. He’s talking about the Lolea No.1 Sangria from Spain. Its distinctive red painted bottle with a swing top cap is cool packaging, which will create a buzz at a special event or dinner party.
Switzer explains the reason Lolea flew off the shelves last summer: “The wine in the bottle is even better than the labeling. It’s totally authentic, cool, and refreshing. It comes from the south of Spain where they know summer. I’ve never poured this for a single person who didn’t like it,” he said.
Unlike most bottled sangrias, Lolea is made of premium ingredients including Cabernet, Merlot, and Tempranillo, organic fruit juice, vanilla and cinnamon. Its slight carbonation keeps everything light and makes the aromatics explode out of the glass!
Last but not least, Switzer recommends Are you Game Shiraz ($21.99). Last year, Wine Spectator Magazine judged it 66th in the Top Wines of the Year Awards.
It’s from Victoria State, where the climate is more moderate, which means this red is not your typical Australian Shiraz. “It has a lot more finese, restrained black and blue fruit balance, subtelty, finer aromatics like violet floral notes and more savoury spice like black pepper.” explains Switzer.
The soil is very poor and the rainfall is low. Ironically these harsh conditions makes for a fine wine. As Switzer states, “Happy vines make poor wines. Strugging wines make interesting wines.”
Eric Hanson is retired teacher and wine educator in Richmond.
