The BackCounbtry Sommelier
Greetings neighbors!
My name is Steph Chichester, and I am thousands of hours into the study of wine and hold
Wine and Spirit Education Trust’s Level 4 Diploma in Wine sommelier credential. My parents,
Linda and Pat Brisnehan, are Backcountry residents and I am excited to share my knowledge,
tips, and tricks with Stroll readers here!
The dog days of summer call for beverages that wet the whistle, so this month’s wine column
offers suggestions for seasonal “porch pounders” including of few of my current favorites with
the theme of suspending your comfort zone for the summer.
Get Out of Your “Go-To” White Rut. We all love the comfort of a no-thought-required wine
order. Whether Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, or Chardonnay is your happy place, knowing
what to expect in the glass: aromas, flavors, and texture is as comforting as a bowl of chicken
soup, but a steady diet of chicken soup is boring! Life is not only too short to drink bad wine, but
also too short to drink the SAME wine. As such, here are three ideas to work into your summer
sipping:
1) A dry German Riesling. Look for the word “Trocken” on the label (German for dry) if you
are not sure. Fruit gets riper from north to south in the Northern Hemisphere so Mosel
Riesling will be citrus (lemon, lime) and mineral driven, while Rieslings from further south
in Germany (Rheingau and Rheinhessen for example) are a bit richer including both
citrus and stone fruits (nectarine and peach). All Rieslings have zippy, mouthwatering
acidity making them a great match for oysters, fish, shrimp cocktail, lemon chicken,
anything that is better with a squeeze of lemon.
2) Albarino (or Alvarhino, the Portuguese version). A universal crowd pleaser and a
refreshing summer sipper, Albarino has a bit more personality than Pinot Grigio but is
still light and refreshing with flavors of orange peel, white peach, and hint of sea salt. It is
food friendly but also stands on its own around the pool or on the front porch.
3) White Rhone blends (also White Chateauneuf du Pape) from the Southern Rhone in
France. These whites are blends of several local grapes including Marsanne and
Roussanne and are a bit richer (not sweet, but riper fruit and a bit more body) than
Riesling, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc or Albarino. White Rhone blends are also less
acidic, rounder, and quite food friendly. A basic pairing principle is to match the weight of
the food with the weight of the wine, hence a weightier white is less likely to get washed
out on the dinner table.
Don’t Be Afraid to Drink Wine “Colors” Out of Your Comfort Zone. Orange wines get
their color from extended contact with the skins of white grapes (from a day to weeks). While
some can have a hint of bitterness not unlike the hoppy “bite” of an IPA, orange wines are
made with less intervention in the winery and fewer sulphites as grape skin contact provides
natural protection for wines.
Likewise, darker roses spend more time on the skins of black grapes, imparting more flavor
than found in the dainty roses of Provence for example. Roses from the Tavel and Bandol
regions in France are good examples of this style: punched up flavor, weightier but not
sweet, and more food friendly than their paler pink counterparts.
The Art of the Chilled Red. Serving most reds with a bit a chill (55 – 60˚F), particularly in
the summer heat amps up the refreshment factor without being so cold that it mutes a wine’s
aromas and flavors. Good red wine candidates for chilling are those full of juicy red or black
fruit. More winemakers globally are leaning into the easy-drinking, less boozy, chillable red
category and bottling their wines in clear glass so you can judge their friendliness at first
glance. For red wines bottled in traditional colored glass that can handle a chill consider
Pinot Noir, Gamay (Beaujolais), Valpolicella Classico, or Zweigelt (Austrian). These wines
make nice aperitifs and have the versatility to pair well with charcuterie, pizza or burgers.
To long days, warm nights, and whatever is chilling in the fridge!