07/25/05 Monday question - Herb garden

Welcome to Vine to Wine, this is your host Linda Moran, and on today's program we are answering your email questions. Recently a listener wrote to ask, "As I am harvesting my herb garden this summer I want to be thinking about which wines work best with the herbs I grow. Can you give me some suggestions?" The summer herb garden offers many possibilities for pairing your favorite seasonal foods with wine. Sweet Basil is always a prolific herb and if you think of reds and whites with good acidity you will be on the right track. Try Tempranillo, Chianti, Orvieto and Pinot Gris. Dill is great with fish and salad try pairing it with Sauvignon Blanc. Mint is a favorite summertime seasoning experiment with Riesling, Gamay and bubbly to compliment it. If you have a good harvest of Rosemary and Sage definitely dry some to use during the winter. With Sage try Merlot or Zinfandel each bring out different qualities in the herb. With Rosemary I must say that Syrah or Shiraz is most people's favorite but Cabernet Sauvignon is a close contender for me. Most all have fun with your herbs and realize they are a seasoning and not the main ingredient so experiment with your wine pairing and the amounts and combinations of herbs that you use. Remember to send your wine questions to Linda at Vine to Wine dot net and thank you for joining me on today's Vine to Wine.