« May 2008 | Main | July 2008 »
Here's a red blend for Father's Day from an Australian producer that is one of the Wine Curmudgeon's favorites, a company that almost always delivers quality for around $20.
The Three Monks (about $17) is 70 percent cabernet sauvignon and 30 percent merlot, which means it's hardy enough to stand up to big steaks but isn't overwhelming. Best yet, it's not only low in alcohol for an Aussie wine (14 percent), but it has a bit of French style, so that the fruitiness doesn't overwhelm the wine.
Call it barbecuing or grilling. Use a smoker or a gas grill or charcoal. Choose between beef or pork or chicken or vegetables. Regardless of which, though, it's part of the Father's Day tradition.
So what wine do you pair with kind of food? The classic pairing for grilled sausage is sweetish white wine like riesling or gewürztraminer. And the heartiest red meats, like grilled rib eye or smoked brisket, can take a hearty red wine.
But sometimes, how you’re cooking the food makes a difference. Grilled chicken marinated in olive oil, garlic and rosemary pairs with sauvignon blanc. But smoke that same piece of chicken with a dry rub, and it changes character entirely. Then, you’ll want a light red wine like a tempranillo or a beaujolais. And rose, of course, will go with almost everything except that grilled rib eye. The bright fruit complements barbecue’s smokiness quite nicely, in fact.
Friday was my final day teaching the introductory wine class at Dallas' Cordon Bleu. As much as I enjoyed it -- and I enjoyed it very much -- the class was more work than I had time for. For one thing, it cut back on the Wine Curmudgeon's wine drinking.
I'm going to write a longer piece about my experiences (that's a hint to any magazine editors reading this who need a clever, well-written, thoughtful article), but I do want to offer these observations:
This is the second of a three-part question and answer series about wine basics. To see part I, go here.
What does it mean when someone says a wine is oaky or tastes like grapefruit? A grape tastes like a grape, doesn’t it?
Time was, the Avalon was $10. The Wine Curmudgeon used to drink it by the case, buy it for visiting wine types and make them guess how much it cost (one of these days I'll have to share the story about the Avalon and the visiting Australian wine marketer), and recommend it at every opportunity.
It's not $10 any more (closer to $15, though you can find it for $12 every once in a while). But it's still one of the best values in the wine world, with almost all of the rich, fruity character of Napa cabernet at one-half to one-third the price.
How does Avalon do it? For one thing, the company only makes cabernet. For another, it doesn't own land or touristy production facilities. It's based on the French negociant model, which allows it to keep costs -- and prices -- down.
Serve this with a Father's Day barbecue. Or buy a case and toast Dad with it throughout the year.
Wine Curmudgeon note: This post is attracting so much traffic that new visitors should know that I wrote another Barefoot post in September 2010 -- Barefoot wines (again): Value or just cheap? It updates this post and offers some thoughts on the Barefoot merlot. There is also a review of Barefoot riesling, written in December 2009.
Original post: Barefoot Cellars wines get a lot more publicity than most inexpensive wines. The $6 cabernet sauvignon and merlot showed up on The Wine Trials' top 100 list. The $6 pinot grigio earned raves last week from the Wall Street Journal's respected wine columnists, John Brecher and Dorothy Gaiter. And the $10 extra dry sparkling wine got a gold medal at the prestigious Dallas Morning News competition this spring.
Is it time for the Wine Curmudgeon to take another look at Barefoot?
Recent Comments