06/19/08 Summer Wine Part 4

Welcome to Vine to Wine this is your host Linda Moran. Today is food and wine pairing and to keep with this week's theme of summer white wines let's talk about barbecuing and summer sipping. Barbecue doesn't just mean beer. Neither does it mean you have to have white wine because it is hot out. But do consider chilling a few of your red wines. Yes, it's okay to chill some red wines. It's summer, after all. Try a Beaujolais from France. Georges Duboeuf, which is widely available, is excellent and you can chill it slightly to make it oh so refreshing. The diffuse flavors of Beaujolais are far better and more concentrated when the wine is slightly chilled. Beaujolais with ribs, grilled or a rotisserie chicken that you've picked up at the grocery -- how easy is that for summer! Another red to chill is inexpensive Rioja from Spain, try Marques de Riscal. And those aren't the only reds that can be chilled. If you've never tried a light, young, fresh Pinot Noir from Oregon with poached salmon you owe it to yourself. Then there is the case for Rose' wines in the summer -- they're fruity, flinty, and a bit earthy -- and far better with hamburgers, tuna steaks, grilled vegetables (think mushrooms), and barbecued chicken than most whites. After dinner place a few peach halves on the grill and serve them warm with dessert wines or a Moscato d'Asti from Italy. It's light, fresh, and delightful (and usually low in alcohol), absolutely perfect with fresh berries, chilled melon, berry compotes, poached pears, fruit pies and tarts, cookies, and custards. So chill it down and enjoy any of these summer wines with foods. Join me tomorrow as we conclude our discussion of summer wines and thanks for joing me on today's Vine to Wine.