GotWines.net

So this round I wanted to review something a little light and sweet for those hot summer days.  I also wanted to share a wine that wouldn’t break the bank, and that could be a great addition to a beach picnic or even poolside.  Lastly I wanted to comment on a wine that is most appealing to the better sex, as it can be tough to find a wine that non-wineo ladies enjoy.  All of these criteria have been met with Beccaris Moscato d’Asti…

An Italian classic, the wines production is fairly interesting.  In producing Moscato, the grapes are separated from the stalks immediately before pressing and the must obtained is vinified off the skins. The next step is to form the so-called “coperta” and to treat the must to clean and disinfect it. The first filtration is carried out and the process is repeated regularly so that the wine remains sweet. The product thus obtained is known as sweet filtrate. Natural Moscato can be consumed as it is or it can be turned into a sparkling wine.

I last had this wine on a trip to NYC with my girlfriend.  Being a novice wine drinker was no matter in this case, as she loved the extreme sweetness and light bubbles.  I had this wine with light hours devours, and assorted cheeses before going out on the town for the night.  I think this Moscato d’Asti would make an awesome accompaniment to any light spicy dish.  A word to the wise…. Try to find this wine ASAP, as there are rumors the producer will stop making this particular varietal.  Should be around $11-$15.  

Bonny Doon ‘Le Cigare Blanc’, 2003, Central Coast, California

If you’re tired of wines made by stuffy, run-of-the-mill winemakers, well Randal Grahm is the guy for you. He’s a little nutty, but his wines are top notch. Currently, his Ca del Solo vineyard in Monterey is dedicated mainly to developing Italian inspired reds and whites, but as a younger man his main interests lied more in the realm of Rhone varietals….

The whites of Chateauneuf-du-Pape, an area of the southern Rhone in France, were the inspiration for this mostly Roussanne blend. The small amount of Grenache blanc adds the floral notes to the stony minerality of the Roussanne. This wine is a treat on the nose and palate. White peach and apricot are the dominant fruits, while honeysuckle and rose are perhaps the most apparent aromatics. Mainly stainless steel conditioned, with some neutral oak, this wine is clean and fruit forward.

Shellfish for seafood, foul for meat and brie for cheese, mild foods are the way to go when pairing this wine. Honestly, I recommend this wine be consumed unaccompanied. All the eating interferes with the drinking and buzz development.

I love Rhone wines, red and white, and Randal Grahm has helped me see that these particular blends need not be from France to be enjoyable. They say the most eccentric men are frequently the most brilliant as well. If the quality of his wine speaks to his intelligence, then he must be crazy. Check out his website for a laugh, and check out The Iron Bridge Wine Company for his wines: $20.