Wine on the air: time for the barbecue

Last week, I got an invitation from Sharman Yarnell, host of Showtime, a Saturday morning show on Montreal station CJAD, to talk about summer wines and, more specifically good wines for the barbecue. Sharman was charming and fun to work with, and I certainly hope to do it again some time. I have to say it’s always nice, when you’re blogging, to reach towards other media. And I’ve always loved doing radio.

I put together a list of accessible wines that could come in handy for the grilling season, in whites, rosés and reds, with a specific accent on new arrivals at SAQ, and answers to a specific question about “budget” wines. Not all wines got on the air – so readers on this blog get a little extra.

One of the things I pointed out, for the barbecue/summer theme, are the Cellier New Arrivals from Spain and Portugal, 45 wines delivered in two batches, these days, with a great accent on emerging regions like Jumilla, Yecla, Bierzo, and relatively inexpensive wines from the often superlatively-described region of Priorat. Many great wines, often under 20$, with a lot of full-flavored, very distinctive wines benefiting from old vines that give them extra structure and structure.

Here’s the full list of suggestions, with short tasting notes.

Inexpensive reds:

Nero d’Avola Giacondi Sicilia i.g.t. 2007 (10803034), 8,15$ Simple wine with black cherry flavors and aromas, well-done, especially at such a low price.

Marcus James Tempranillo, Mendoza, Argentina (10398374), 9,75$ Nice nose of dark berries, tobacco and spice, tannins a little rough, but again, nice value for the price.

Whites

Penfolds Rawson’s Retreat, Semillon-Chardonnay, South Eastern Australia (00419242) 13,20$ Very classic Aussie white with nicely rounded flavors. Popular, with good reason.

San Vincenzo, Anselmi, Veneto I.G.T. (00585422) 17,10$ Beautiful wine from one of North Italy’s most remarkable producers, with rich aromas and yet refreshing acidity.

Rosé
Vin Gris de Cigare, Bonny Doon Vineyard, California (10262979), 19,80$ Great, subtle, fragrant rosé. More expensive than average, but also shows a lot more class.

Reds:

Mas Collet 2005, Montsant, Celler Capçanes (00642538) 17,10$ See my full tasting note here.

Masi Campofiorin, Rosso del Veronese (00155051) 19,35$ A rich, tasty wine with almost port-like accents, made in the ripasso style, meaning that the wine is fermented in part with grapes that are partially-dried on straw mats to bring extra richness and concentration.

Château Lamargue, Cuvée Aegidiane, Costières-de-Nimes (10678923), 20,10$ A juicy, well-structured wine from grenache and other varietals that is truly worth well more than its actual price. As good as many Châteauneuf-du-Pape worth twice as much.