Last week, Serious Grape columnist Deb Harkness stopped by with a few good candidates for refreshing summer wines. Over on her own blog, Good Wine Under $20, she's got another suggestion—the 2008 Dry Creek Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc, which "can hold its head up among zingy New Zealand bottlings, but has a bit more softness and is far less assertive."...
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Editor's note: On Fridays Deb Harkness of Good Wine Under $20 joins us to talk some Serious Grape. Take it away, Deb! As an inveterate grape-hopper, I love finding new grape varieties to tempt my palate and keep me from falling into wine ruts. The stranger and more off-beat the grape, the happier I am. I love discovering grapes like the Eastern European Rkatsiteli or delving deeper into Albariño. There is a price to pay for this eclecticism, however: you can forget to drink the six grapes that provide the backbone for wine production throughout the world. These six "noble grapes"—Chardonnay, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Pinot Noir—have been cultivated all over the world and been made into...
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If your summer calendar looks like mine, it is likely you have somehow managed to accept more invitations to backyard barbecues than there are weekends left in the summer. Barbecue season is in full gear, leaving many wine lovers wondering what to drink with all those hot dogs and hamburgers. Zinfandel is the default option. It’s widely available, inexpensive, and its fruity character pairs well with the sauce-slathered triumvirate of grilled favorites: steaks, burgers, and ribs. There are problems with Zinfandel, however. Given its high alcohol levels the wine is not at its best in summer heat, and Zinfandel is such a bold wine that it is not the ideal partner for more delicate grilled dishes like chicken, fish, shellfish,...
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