As we inch toward summer on the coast, it's time we start thinking about something lighter, fresher and fun to drink. Not to put too fine a "twist" on it but we've decided a long list of screw cap wines are more than enough to turn any patio into party central or the perfect place for an al fresco evening bite.
The trick is to clear your mind of all those big heavy reds, the oak, the tannins, the alcohol, the warmth, the long persistent finish and literally lighten up your taste. Let the sunlight — I promise, it's coming — and the warm breezes of summer transform your thinking and your list.
For those of you still debating the merits of screw cap, get over it. Screw caps are here to stay at some level, especially if the grapes in question are sauvignon blanc, viognier, pinot grigio, rosé and most un-oaked whites. You can add a certain sector of red wines to that list, too.
It's our contention that even the finest cork in the world tends to shave off or, at the very least, dampen the last five per cent of the most delicate fruit aromas and flavours found in any wine. While that made be useful for big alcoholic reds when it comes to summer sippers, it's simply not acceptable.
Of course screw caps have an even broader appeal for those of us fed up with wines suffering from the dreaded cork taint and its mix of mildew, mold and wet basement odours. Still others are quickly growing fond of the easy access screw caps allow for opening and pouring wine. All the more reason to head for the patio as the weather improves, and the better news is there are plenty of selections in British Columbia that fit the lighter, brighter, fresher category.
If you were to dissect all these wines, something I'm dead set against in the summer, you would discover that it is the acidity that freshens the palate, lightens the wine and makes it so food friendly. But enough — let's get to the wines.
We begin with a sparkling moscato that can brighten any summer afternoon — Mionetto Il Moscato N/V ($18). This is one nimble bubble on the palate and it's packed with refreshing ripe peach flavours and spicy baked apple mineral fruit. We love the crown cap closure you can simply pop off with a bottle opener. Chill this down for an aperitif or switch things up and serve with your favourite spicy Thai or Indian dishes.
I can't say enough about the Poggiotondo Toscana Bianco 2011 ($17) made by famed Italian wine consultant Alberto Antonini, who, incidentally, is involved in making a wine in the Okanagan Valley. Alberto Antonini mixes vermentino, ansonica and malvasia to craft his Tuscan bianco that has long spicy pear fruit flavours with a touch of almonds in the finish. Creamy cheeses, light seafood and summer-weight foods are a great match.
Riesling and summer were made for each other and we can choose from a stellar list of both locally produced and imported bottles. From the Okanagan an easy choice is the Quails' Gate Dry Riesling 2011 ($17). Super tart dry minimalist style that will appeal to extreme riesling fans. The nose is a mix of green apple and citrus aromas that spill across its super dry and tart palate. Creamy pasta dishes or milder Indian dishes come to mind as useful menu matches. Clean, fresh and bracingly acidic, this one needs food. Think Thai, Korean, Chinese, barbecue and more.
From just south of the border, in Washington, you can choose the Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling 2010 ($16) from Columbia Valley. The palate is fresh, round and elegant with some sweetness through its green apple, lime, grapefruit, honey and floral flavours. Good value and ready to drink.
Nothing says summer like rosé, and one of the best in the market is a Provençal pink labelled Mirabeau Rose 2011 ($25). The nose and palate are classic red fruits with a dash of pear and citrus. Fresh tangy clean and screaming for food, this is a picnic/al fresco dinner winner. Equally beguiling is the La Vieille Ferme Côtes du Ventoux Rosé 2011 ($13). Always the perfect luncheon wine, it's mouth-watering, crisp acidity and wonderful freshness are easy to access thanks to its easy-opening screw cap closure. Try it with a crab salad.
One of the best value chardonnays around is Chile's De Martino Legado Reserva Chardonnay 2011 ($18) from Limari Valley. The Legado Reserva is a cool-climate style chardonnay with a fresh, juicy entry, creamy textures and plenty of grapefruit, honey, peach and pineapple flavours. A perfect match for fresh, local halibut served with a mango fruit salsa.
My last white is a local bottle, Tinhorn Creek Pinot Gris 2011 ($17). The attack is slightly off-dry but with freshness and mouth feel that makes it easy to sip. There is less honey and earth flavours this year but more citrus and green apple with a pinch of dried herbs. Fish tacos, anyone?
We finish with two reds for those who can't bear to drink white wine. The Villa Maria Pinot Noir Private Bin 2010 ($24) is one of the most reliable pinots you can reach for every year. The palate is generous with more earthy, plummy, juicy cherry fruit and soft, slippery tannins. The perfect foil to mushroom dishes or duck with Chinese chives.
A wine that gets better each time out is the La Domeliere Rasteau Côtes du Rhône Villages 2010 ($20). The mix is a blend of 70/20/10 grenache, syrah and mourvèdre that give it a fragrant character with slippery black cherry and plum fruit flecked with savoury notes of kirsch and liquorice root. This is a barbecue star you should buy by the case.
Now let summer begin.
Anthony Gismondi is a West Vancouver-based freelance wine writer who travels the globe is search of terroir-based wine.
