08/04/08 Summer Vegetables

Welcome to Vine to Wine this is your host Linda Moran. On today's program we are going to talk about summer vegetables and the wines that go with them. There is such an abundance of ripe, fresh fruit and vegetables in the summer. With melted butter and some fresh chopped herbs new potatoes are a meal in themselves all they really need is a creamy Chardonnay. And don't let anyone ever tell you that wine won't work with a ripe tomato salad just turn them on to a simple tomato salad with a crisp Sauvignon Blanc or a slightly chilled Grenache or Dolcetto. If you ever roast red peppers to include with your meals - try serving a Tempranillo from Spain. Most people have trouble deciding on a wine to go with eggplant. I look first at how it's being prepared  if you do it in the parmigiano style with red sauce then go for a lighter red wine. If you combine it with other vegetables in a ratatouille try it with a lighter style of red wine or fruitier style of sauvignon blanc. And now for two of the supposedly most notoriously difficult vegetables to pair with wine onions and artichokes & no matter what you think there is a wine out there for them. I think that when it comes to artichokes New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc or Alsace Rieslings are fabulous!! When it comes to onions just grill them - that nicely charred flavor will help it to go with many lighter style red wines and crisp dry whites. Remember to send your wine questions to Linda at vine to wine dot net and thanks for joining me on today's Vine to Wine.