Surviving Doomsday

It’s a difficult time right now. The discomfort that stems from the pandemic gripping our lives is to a point where some are out raiding all stock of toilet paper and hand sanitizer in preparation for Doomsday. But there is something critical that you need to have on-hand during such a crisis. You need wine and plenty of it!

Yes, I realized that the wine fridge was approaching DEFCON-3 status, so it was time to load up. I picked up a nice spread of wines, white and red, Old World and New World, cheap ones and splurges. Besides, if the lady who dropped by the store could come in and clean out our stock of White Burgundy since “she doesn’t plan on going out anytime soon,” then these wines are plenty good for us.

Of course if all else fails, we’ll find some cask-strength 120 Proof whiskey to wash both our insides and outsides with. Stay safe out there, everyone.

Here’s the list:

All wines pictured are listed below, from left to right.

Estate Tiblalexis Kokarella White Blend ($13): Get exploring when the world is crumbling around you. Here is a zippy unoaked Greek white blend of the lemony, minerally Assyrtiko and the aromatic Malagouzia.

Essay White Blend ($11): Amazing blend of Chenin Blanc, Viognier, and Roussanne from South Africa; I tried some before buying, and the combination of fruity flavors and long finish make this a wine with incredible value.

La Craie Vouvray ($14): It has been a while since I tried a Vouvray…no time like the present! Chenin Blanc has rapidly become my favorite springtime grape.

Broadley Pinot Noir Willamette Valley ($23): The Greatest Wife In The World and I both really enjoy Pinot Noir from Oregon.

Frescobaldi Remole ($10): If we go through our inventory of wines in the picture quickly, I’ll just keep buying cases of this easy-drinking Sangiovese-based blend while giving some love to the folks in Italy.

Rocca delle Macie Chianti Classico ($16): If we somehow end up sequestered from the rest of society, chances are we are making a lot of pizza and pasta knowing that the kids will eat it. A Chianti Classico will pair nicely with each one of those meals.

Domaine les Semelles de Vent Vacqueyras ($24): I love the Rhone Valley’s expressions of Grenache and Syrah, and when I saw this was a new arrival I did not hesitate to blindly grab it. If you don’t see this specific producer, a Vacqueyras in this price range is where it’s at.

Piazzo Barolo ($39): Live like royalty and drink some Barolo, the Wine of Kings and the King of Wines (and for Medieval authenticity, complete with infectious disease running rampant around your castle!). Piazzo makes an outstanding range of wines, all of which can be found at outstanding value. Treat yourself…you deserve it.

Building A Case...For A Few More Dollars

Earlier this week, I shared with you an easy strategy for building a case of wine that sought value and quality. Today, we take it to a different level. Assuming you have saved up your schillings, received a bonus, or just feel like spending money on wine, well I have a "version 2.0" guide for you when you are looking to find 12 tasty bottles. Whether you are dropping $10 or $100 a bottle on wine, I am always going to steer you to something that delivers high a quality-to-price ratio.

When you have extra money on-hand for that case, new doors open up not just at higher price points, but it gives you access to regions and styles that just aren't widely available in the $10 range. Here are some points of interest to consider when buying a mixed case of wine when money is less of an object, but not growing on trees by any means.

New Zealand has the highest average selling price per bottle of wine of any winemaking country. While there are some large brands that you can find in the $10-$12 range, there are many that exceed $15. Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Pinot Noir, and Gewurztraminer can all cost you. However, if you like the bold tropical zestiness of Sauvignon Blanc, or the clean, aromatic fruit in Gewurztraminer, now is the time to include a New Zealand wine.

Austrian wines command high prices with the precision and balance that shows in their wines. Grüner Veltliner has become quite popular and doesn't really grow anywhere else in the world, so again while there are some good entry-level wines in the $10-$12 neighborhood, go for a wine from a small producer that has complex citrusy/minerally/peppery flavors.

Wines from Burgundy can be very expensive, partially due to the fact that vineyard land is some of the most expensive in the world. Prime sites in many villages make long-lived wines, but there are also more accessible examples that don't require you to empty your bank account if you want to dive into Burgundy. Try Chardonnay wines from the Mâcon region in the south. Additionally, seek out the wines from a négociant to try any Burgundian region's typical style. Louis Jadot, Joseph Drouhin, and Bouchard Pere et Fils are just a few of the larger examples that you should be able to find for both Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

Oregon makes some outstanding wines, with Pinot Noir being the superstar of the Willamette Valley. Finding a good Pinot Noir in the sub-$20 range can be a challenge and many examples from Oregon start at about $20. Oregon tends to strike the right balance of fruitiness and earthiness.

Wines from Napa Valley aren't cheap, and if you like your red blends to be a Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot blend a la Bordeaux, there are plenty to be found in the $20 and over range. If you had been purchasing some "everyday" Bordeaux reds in the $12 price point, shoot for the wines with a defined geography such as "Medoc" or "Saint-Emilion", which will cost a few dollars more, but it will give you a sense of what a wine tastes like when grown from vineyards within a smaller parcel of vineyards.

In the Rhone Valley, it's up to you if you want to shoot for Chateauneuf-du-Pape or Hermitage, as each of those wines will hit you for $40 and way upward in many cases. However, if you reach for some of the lesser-known subregions like "Gigondas" or "Crozes-Hermitage," you will pay a fraction of the price of their more expensive brethren. This is where chatting with your friendly local wine merchant will help you a lot.

In Italy, you can start checking out the great grape of Nebbiolo, famous in the Piedmont region and most notably in the sub-region of Barolo and Barbaresco. Like the two Rhone wines above, they can cost you plenty, but wines labeled "Nebbiolo d'Alba" or "Langhe Nebbiolo" will often encompass vineyards outside of the Barolo and Barbaresco communes, giving you something lighter in body, but more approachable in youth (which means you don't need to stick them in the cellar to evolve and harmonize).

Spanish wine's most popular export to the U.S. is wines from Rioja. Now is a great time to go for the wines with some extended oak aging. Look for wines labeled "Crianza," "Reserva," and "Gran Reserva," all of which will increase in price thanks to the amount of time spent in barrel. The great news about Rioja is that wines are always released ready to drink, needing no further aging if you don't want to stash them in the cellar.

Let's not forget the sparkling wine here, too! I'm not saying you have to shoot on up to Champagne, which is truly a delicious sparkling wine that deserves the recognition it gets. However, if you seek out "Crémant" wines, which are sparkling wines made in non-Champagne French regions the same way they are made in Champagne. A Crémant can be found for roughly half the price of a large Champagne house's flagship non-vintage wine for regions like Burgundy (Bourgogne), Limoux (Southern France), Alsace, and Loire.

If you are a Port or Sherry fan, go for a nice bottle of one of your favorite fortified wines. If you need something versatile to cook with as well as drink, an Amontillado Sherry is a nice buy here. As we approach fall, if you enjoy time in the kitchen there will be some recipes calling for a Port sauce. A Ruby Port is fiery and fruity enough to add flavor, but also a nice warming beverage on a chilly night. You can typically find an example of each Port and Sherry style for around $15. Each style also gives you a good baseline of what to expect from an individual producer if you were to venture into their other styles.

So here's what that case looks like if we take the items discussed above into account with specific products. Additionally, we will refer back to the Value Case we did earlier this week and use that as a springboard into other wines.

Marie-Pierre Manciat Crémant de Bourgogne ($23): A fine sparkling wine made from 100% Chardonnay in sustainable vineyards. Floral with orange and lemon peel aromas, peachy on the palate, and very lively with persistent bubbles. Killer value.

Weingut Loimer, Grüner Veltliner Langenlois ($19): Grüner Veltliner's peppery character is on display, with green apples, minerals, and soft herbs, along with a creamy texture. Finishes dry and refreshing! 

Dog Point Vineyard Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc ($20): We have been seeing the price of the Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc reach the $18-$19 price point over the last few years. For a buck or two more, it is worth your time and money to try this New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, whose passionfruit and grapefruit character gets a boost of 

Cave de Lugny, Mâcon-Villages La Côte Blanche ($15): The thing I love about the Mâcon region is how it can be a great way to introduce you to Old World Chardonnay, while retaining riper stone fruit and tropical fruit flavors.

Fairview Cape Granite White Blend ($16): I can't help but be an advocate for South African wine. You tried the Tormentoso Chenin Blanc from the Value Case. For a few dollars more, try a white blend of Chenin Blanc, Viognier, and Grenache Blanc for a full-bodied, wildly aromatic wine experience.

Willamette Valley Vineyards Estate Pinot Noir ($25): Fresh red cherry fruit and red plums, with herbs, baking spices, and a touch of smoke. This is a great way to get introduced to an Oregon Pinot Noir if you haven't tried one before. If you have tried one, this has been a consistently good product from vintage to vintage.

Château Lanessan Haut-Medoc ($25, 2014 vintage): Bordeaux feels the impact of vintage variation more than most winemaking regions with its marginal climate. After a string of leaner, more traditional Bordeaux vintages (2011-2013), this 2014 from a solid property located in the upper Medoc peninsula gives you a wine loaded with black cherries and pipe tobacco, thyme, a touch of woody character.

Scavino Langhe Nebbiolo ($20): Nebbiolo's inherent flavors of red cherry fruit and roses are complemented by eucalyptus and tobacco. Nebbiolo can be forceful despite the pale ruby color; it is loaded with tannin and acid meant for long-haul aging, but in this more approachable version, the structural components are as intense thanks to shorter skin contact during fermentation. A great entryway to get to know Nebbiolo from a traditional producer. 

Martin Cendoya Rioja Reserva ($21): Dark berry fruit with earthiness and a noticeable oak component, which smooths out some harsh edges you can get from Tempranillo when it is young. Vanilla and a slight toffee note help illustrate the impact of 14 month barrel aging and additional time in bottle before being released to the market, ready to drink now.

Domaine du Terme Gigondas ($28): I picked this up for my birthday back in December. It is my favorite French red wine region. Neighbor of Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Gigondas is based on Grenache, with small percentages of Syrah and Mourvedre added to the blend. Gigondas has offered more stability to me in terms of quality and price, whereas Chateauneuf-du-Pape can be all over the map. Fresh blackerry fruit, violets, and Herbes de Provence, show up in this wine that I really enjoyed on my big day.

Domaine Bousquet Mendoza Malbec Reserva ($16): You got the introductory Malbec in the value case. Go back and get the Reserva, which spent 12 months in oak barrel and see what's different!

Quinta do Noval Fine Ruby Port ($17): A single estate Port (compared to a blend of estates produced by the larger companies), this is an easy one to carry in the cellar if you are a Port fan. Raspberry and blackberry fruit, but warming and well-balanced.

So total is $245. With a 10% discount and Connecticut sales tax, this is a $234.50 case, roughly twice the cost of our Value Case earlier in the week. If you had these 24 bottles lined up in your wine fridge/cellar, I think you are off to a heck of a start! Stay with me as we keep exploring. Send me feedback...let me know if you tasted ANY of these wines as I would love to know what you think.

Until next time...

Building A Case For Value

It's not that often these days where I am actively working the sales floor at the store. However in the past and when I help out on the big holidays at Divine Wine, a customer presents me the following:

"Hi! I would like to buy a case of wine, but I am not sure what I want. Can you help me?"

Yes! This is what I do. It's my livelihood. I always get excited at the opportunity to send customers home with 12 bottles of wine that (hopefully) they will enjoy with friends, family, colleagues, or just by themselves on a random Wednesday night.

Now, there is a key component to the statement above: "I am not sure what I want." In general, wine drinkers know what they like, but in this instance I get the impression that my customers are hesitant to step outside of their comfort zone. After all, they are buying a full case of wine so people are investing their hard-earned dollars in me and my recommendations. Of course if you choose to make your own choices, which you are perfectly capable of doing, I won't treat you as if you were having a touch time choosing a dozen donuts:

No matter whether you decide to choose specific wines on your own or ask me for help, I have a way for you to structure how you go about purchasing a case of wine. For today, I am focusing on the everyday/value bottles. Consider this to be the $120-$150 range when all is said and done. Keep in mind that many retailers will take anywhere from 10-20% off of a purchase of a case of wine with the ability to mix and match how you see fit. Let's dive into some things to consider when building your case from a perspective of seeking value.

Find your brands:

As much as I love to show you something from a small artisanal producer from some remote corner of France, the fact is that your larger, well-known brands will be easy to come by. Additionally, depending on the size of the retail store, their purchasing power will dictate how low they can keep prices. So you might encounter that Alamos Malbec, Blackstone Merlot, Concha y Toro Chilean red blend for a very inexpensive price already, all of which make great house wines or something you can offer a guest at a party who is looking to have something familiar. You can score some of your favorite brands for as little as $7 per bottle in some places. However...

Include some lesser-known regions and grape varieties:

Know what Corbieres is? In context of this post, who cares? Just know that some great Cinsault-based pink wine is being made here for $12.

If you are shopping at a good store offering the combination of knowledgeable and friendly customer service, chances are high that the overwhelming majority of wines on the shelves will be at minimum, drinkable and at best, very exciting. So if you see a red wine from Portugal made with Touriga Nacional for $10, grab it. A rosé from Languedoc, France made with Cinsault for $12? Get it. A South African Chenin Blanc for $10? Go for it. There are tons of examples from Italy and Spain, too. Piedmont and Tuscany get tons of love (and accompanying higher prices to match) in Italy, but Puglia, Sicily, and the Veneto regions can frequently offer you significant value. Additionally, Spain still has an incredible quality-to-price ratio, maybe the best of any country right now. There is a ton to choose from.

Find "declassified" wines from a European producer:

Naming conventions and labeling rules for wines in Europe will often refer to a geography, which is most evident in the wines of France, Italy, Spain, and Portugal. Lets say you have a producer of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, a specific wine zone in the Rhône Valley of France with a set of rules for making wine. Chances are that the same producer might make a wine from a larger area, different grape varieties than are permitted in the "Grand Vin" of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, or less stringent production rules to make a Côtes du Rhône wine, costing you a fraction of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Côtes du Rhône is a broader geographical area with more flexibility in rules for producing wines.

Another example comes from the Loire Valley. Sancerre's white wines are made from 100% Sauvignon Blanc in the Sancerre region. However, if the wine is made from vines outside of Sancerre, or don't adhere to technical aspects like vine age or yield control, then the wine might be labeled "Vin de France Sauvignon Blanc" such as the example below from Domaine de la Perriere.

Both wines are made from Sauvignon Blanc grapes from the same property owner, but the Sancerre is costing you $25. The one labeled Sauvignon Blanc? $10. This is a great way to go value-hunting. It might take a little digging around and a bit of research, but finding this kind of information will help save you several dollars.

Don't forget sparkling wine!

Look, we can't drink Champagne all the time, nor should Champagne and other sparkling wines only be reserved for special occasions. A bottle of bubbly as part of your case is a must-have. Best of all, you can find a fruity sparkling wine like Prosecco, or you can find Cava (Spain's sparkling wine made using Champagne's process, but with native grape varieties) can often be found at a bargain. For less than $15, you can spot one of each without a problem. Then you can pop the cork anytime you see fit, because you will have a bottle on-hand and ready to go, special occasion to celebrate, or not.

Why don't we do this...let's take some of these wines and stick them in the box. Then we'll add a few more, total it up, and you will see how you can build your mixed case of goodies to take home. Prices are approximate, and I will use 10% as the case discount as a conservative estimate. These are all wines I have tried and would recommend to anyone looking for a solid variety pack case that includes many styles of wines.

Mionetto Il Prosecco Brut, $11, a simple, easy-drink bottle of fruity sparkler, great for casual parties and Mimosas.

Fonseca Twin Vines Vinho Verde, $8, Vinho Verde is a light, low-alcohol, slightly fizzy citrusy wine from the northeastern corner of Portugal.

La Petite Perriere Sauvignon Blanc, $10, this is the declassified Sancerre from above

Cantine Paolini Sicilia Pinot Grigio, $10, this Sicilian Pinot Grigio has some flavor to it, with melon and tropical fruit.

Tormentoso Old Vine Paarl (South Africa) Chenin Blanc, $13, try some Chenin Blanc as a Chardonnay alternative, plus a wine from South Africa. A region and a grape that deserves your love and attention.

Domaine Sainte Eugenie Corbieres Rose, $12, an unbelievably fruit-but-dry rose wine from southern France. Provence, for all of its delicate fruit and herbs that I really enjoy, does not have the fruit-forwardness of this wine.

Parolvini Barone Nero Veneto Red Blend (Cabernet Sauvignon, Refosco, Malbec), $12, an interesting blend that includes the native northeastern Italian variety of Refosco, which has a leathery, violet-scented character. It plays so well with the deep, dark fruit of the other two grapes, and it's not every day you see Malbec being grown in Italy.

Azul Portugal Douro Red Blend, $11, a blend of Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, and Touriga Franca. All of these grapes go into Port wines, but when vinified as a dry wine, it gives you plenty of structure and fruit with a bit of smokiness.

Domaine Bousquet Mendoza Malbec, $11, there is a proliferation of Argentine Malbecs out there, and for the money Bousquet delivers so well.

Bodegas Atalaya Almansa Laya Red Blend, $10, this is a blend of Monastrell (a powerful, dense, chewy high-alcohol red wine variety), and Garnacha Tintorera (one of the few red varieties whose pulp and juice is red also).

Concha Y Toro Casillero del Diablo Winemaker's Red Blend, $10, an easy-drinking staple in the large Chilean Concha y Toro winery's lineup. Fresh black fruit, licorice, and a touch of green bell pepper.

Gnarly Head 1924 Lodi Red Blend, $10, an opulent, blackberry jam and raisiny wine that is very soft on the palate.

Total for the 12 wines is $128. Take 10% off, and that's $115.20. Connecticut sales tax is 6.35%, so that gets us to a grand total of $122.52. That puts us in the lower range of what I categorized above. You are getting a nice spread of regions and grape varieties in this, too. Keep in mind that I have also listed these in order of how you might want to taste them if you were to do an absurd 12-bottle flight!

Hopefully, this gives you a great starting point in building your own case, but as always you know where to find me if you have questions. Good luck!

If It Grows Together, It Goes Together: South Africa Edition

Long, long ago, in a time period seemingly far, far away, The Greatest Wife In The World arranged wine dinners with her friends from college, accompanied by husbands. It was a great reason to get together when our busy lives took us in so many directions. The common link among us all was a love of food and beverage, as well as open-minded exploration of our tastes and preferences.

The group would agree on a winemaking region anywhere in the world to showcase. The host site would prepare the main course based on the cuisine of this chosen region, while the other couples brought an appetizer and a dessert. My job, no matter who hosted, was to choose wines to pair with each course and present them. This was great for me as I was just diving into wine school, and our friends were able to help me study through practical application...all of whom were very happy to oblige.

So one day we got adventurous, testing our culinary and sensory limits with a South African-themed wine dinner. Now, we were all good-to-great home cooks, but we have never taken a dive into a culture as distinct as South Africa when it comes to food and wine. A fun challenge was upon us!

Also note that The Greatest Wife In The World and I had a not-so-awesome experience with South African wine the first time we tried it. Back in the early 2000s, South African wines were not widely available, and quality levels were all over the map. I can't remember for the life of me who the producer was, but we picked out a wine made from the Pinotage grape, a red crossing of the Burgundian Pinot Noir with the Rhône variety Cinsault (known as "Hermitage" in South Africa).

(Editor's Note: Educational tangent coming up, just in case you need a quick and dirty overview of the Pinotage grape variety.)

The creator of Pinotage, Prof. Abraham Perold

In 1925, Professor Abraham Perold came up with the idea of this crossing to help Pinot Noir thrive in South Africa as well as Cinsault already did. Early versions of this wine, including the one we tasted about 15 years ago, often smelled of nail polish remover and bananas; ours actually tasted like bacon-flavored Band-Aids with no fruit whatsoever. It was one of the few wines I ever poured down the drain. When we did this wine dinner circa 2010, we knew the signature variety of Pinotage had to be included. Maybe it would be different this time around. Besides, are we really going to let one rough experience prevent us from trying it again?

I chose a bottle of Southern Right Pinotage from Hamilton Russell Vineyards to go with our main course; our hosts prepared spiced grilled lamb skewers with a side of South African yellow rice with raisins. I had been given some encouraging data that this was going to be much better than what I tasted several years prior. Pinotage is just going to be an unusual wine that will be polarizing for a crowd. I was able to taste some berry fruit, but I still noticed the somewhat aggressive acidity and tannin when sipping it on its own after opening the bottle. Others in the group enjoyed that structural sensation, while the remainder (including The Greatest Wife In The World) did not really care for it.

South African yellow rice: a key to unlocking the fruitiness of Pinotage. A match made in heaven with the Southern Right Pinotage (below). A solid recipe can be found here if you want to give it a shot! Image credit: Allrecipes.com

When the love of my life excused herself from the table to change our son's diaper, she returned to hear a chorus of oohs and aahs from all of us. We all informed her that she had to try the Pinotage with the food. She thought we were all messing with her, trying to get her to drink a wine she wasn't too pleased with. However, after a little nudging she gave it a shot with the lamb and the rice...and she was in agreement with the crowd.

This experience could not have been a better lesson when it comes to food and wine pairing; if the wine grapes and the food grow together, chances are they will go together at the dinner table. The Pinotage's acrid aspects (more prominent for some than others) dissipated and the wine was bursting with raspberries, cranberries, pomegranates, and just about any other red fruit you could name, along with wild herbs. Of particular note, the yellow rice (made with turmeric, ginger, a little sugar, and raisins) brought out a range of spices in the wine along with the red fruits. The gamey, wild flavors of lamb were tamed a little when wine was consumed along with it; I remember noticing a pronounced cardamom spice. It was stunning.

Intense, exotic, pungent aromas and flavors in food need wines with a lot of character. With South Africa possessing an enormous spectrum of spices in its cuisine, their wines are designed for just that, along with any smoky flavors developed from grilling your animal protein of choice. Aromas are frequently intense, fruit flavors are ripe, but not as opulent as many New World examples; there are other herbaceous, savory, and floral notes accompanying the fruit that give an Old World/European feel to the wines.

Here are three wines that will help you get to know South Africa a little more.

Tormentoso Chenin Blanc ($13): When I first opened this, the aromas made me think of a Loire Valley Chenin Blanc, with peaches, apricot, herbs, and earthy tones on the nose. On the palate, it was a different story. This was all tropical fruit (papaya, pineapple, and mango). The pineapple even tasted like it was candied!

Charles Back Fairview Pinotage ($15): If you ever need a way to get comfortable with the Pinotage grape, here is a good way to do it. The Southern Right we had at the dinner was delicious, but it pushes the $20 mark. For $5 less, Fairview gives you raspberry, fresh thyme, black pepper, and a slightly smoky finish. The tannins are gentler than what is typical of Pinotage in this expression. No bacon-flavored Band-Aids in this one, for certain!

Stark-Condé Stellenbosch Cabernet Sauvignon ($19): The Stellenbosch region of South Africa is similar to California's Napa Valley, where Bordeaux varieties rule the vineyards. It tastes like blackberries dipped in dark chocolate, with some English Breakfast tea and woody notes, backed up with just enough acidity to keep the wine balanced.

The Obligatory "Wines To Go With Your Barbecue" Post

Memorial Day weekend has often been called the "unofficial start to summer," but something else happens over these upcoming few days. We are also told that we are at the start of "grilling season." Now, look...I will be the first to admit that I was very lazy about firing up the grill throughout winter, but with our most recent heat wave that struck at a house with no central air conditioning, cooking outside was a must in the heart of spring. For the grilling and barbecue die-hards, they are out on their decks charring animal proteins (and maybe a vegetable or two) around the clock, day after day, season after season.

With that said, Memorial Day weekend is the first one on the calendar that makes sense for larger-scale outdoor entertaining, so chances are high that you may be hosting or attending a day of boozery with gas flames or charcoal embers being your chief heat source for food preparations. Along with your choice of food, you need some fine libations to enjoy. Even though cracking open a cold beer while tending to fire is very rewarding, if you are reading this blog you are likely a wine drinker and you need some answers on what to buy for your gathering. Fortunately for you, I have some easy guidelines to follow.

Stay casual

Now is not the time to bust out the fancy luxury wine (at least, not until all your guests leave). In many cases, the larger the gathering is, the simpler the food will be. That classed growth Bordeaux isn't going with your casual foods and the subtleties of the wine will be lost. Keep things simple; there are tons of wines out there less than $20 that will deliver.

Bold is beautiful

Grilling leads to quick caramelization of food. Charred beef, pork, and chicken adds a lot of flavor intensity. If you are playing with game birds, lamb, bison, or venison, you are dealing with very strongly flavored meat. If charcoal enters the equation, then intense smoke imparts your food. If you are grilling vegetables, their sugars caramelize very easily. All of this amplified flavor calls for complementary, strongly flavored wines. Washington State wines, New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, California oaked Chardonnays and Zinfandels, Chilean Carménère, and southern French white and red blends are all great options for big, bold flavors.

Consider geography/culture

Vegetarian? Don't move to Argentina.

Keep in mind that National Braai Day is September 24th! Don't lock away your barbecue after Labor Day!

Argentina is known for its beef and culture of cooking meat over open fire. South Africa is known for braai, which in Afrikaans translates to "to grill." Many parts of Australia have great weather to cook and entertain outdoors year-round. Seek out Argentine Malbec, nearly any South African wine, and Australian Shiraz

Think pink

What's great about rosé is that it can be a great unifier of many foods on the table. This holds true further if you have a lot of cold salads on the table (potato salad, pasta salad, green salad). Rosé's refreshing qualities won't overwhelm lighter foods and its fruitiness can generally stand up to any meat not named steak or lamb.

If all else fails...cheat

Sparkling wine is the easiest work-around if you don't know which direction to head in. Go with something fairly neutral in flavor like Cava or Prosecco. The bubbles and refreshment it offers acts like seltzer, which will cleanse your palate. The beauty of taking a sparkling wine means you can make plenty of cocktails, too.

So how about some choices for you? This is by no means an exhaustive list, because there are so many ways you can go. Instead, it is a way to find something to go with some of the basics that you might have on the table.

Columbia Crest Grand Estates Chardonnay ($14): Columbia Crest is a large brand from Washington, but I have to say if you are looking for an easy match with grilled chicken or a sturdy white fish, the buttery rich texture, tropical fruit and nuttiness will do each of those dishes justice. Keep in mind that there is an unoaked version of this that costs a few dollars less, so read your labels!

King Estate Acrobat Rosé of Pinot Noir ($14): Straightforward and fruity, you get all the red fruit in this (watermelon, strawberries, and tart cherries). This will be a versatile wine to handle white fish with a salsa or herbs on it, or even a simply seasoned salmon. Get your side dishes in, and you'll be all set with this one!

Lapostolle "Casa" Grand Selection Carménère ($15): Juicy and spicy, this Chilean red berry-scented wine has a fruity/savory finish and is a nice alternative to Merlot. A fine match with a burger!

Alexander Valley Vineyards "Temptation" Zinfandel ($13): If you are cooking something "low and slow," such as baby back ribs, pork shoulder, or even brisket, this is what I want. Jammy, peppery, and earthy flavors provide enough character to counter the smokiness of your meat.  

Thorne Clarke Milton Park Shiraz ($12): Loaded with dark plums, chocolate, and spice, there is a ton of flavor at a great value. Great with steaks and lamb chops.