Premier: Wine Made Easy

Alain Jaume is a negociant label for Domaine Grand Veneur. Since 1826, the Jaumes have maintained the best terriors in the Rhone Valley. Today Sebastien and Christophe are beginning to run the family estate. Rasteau is one of the villages of Côtes du Rhone. The deep garnet, edged with purple, wine has aromas and flavors of plum, raspberry, cranberry, blueberry and black pepper, and a long finish. It is lush and round, rich and juicy. This is a delicious wine with depth and style! Serve with steak, lamb stew or roast venison. A votre santé!

Montsant is in the province of Tarragona in southern Catalonia. It became a D.O. appellation in 2001, but it has been a place of winemaking and spiritual refuge for ages upon ages. The Romans originated winemaking there, and the Carthusian monks improved the process with new practices from France. In the late 18th century, phylloxera destroyed the region, and only one-fifth of the original vineyards were replanted. Celler de Capçanes is a cooperative in the village of Capçanes. A request to produce Kosher wine led to the installation of new equipment and the ability to make even better wines. This delightful wine is 85% Garnatxa (Grenache) and 15% Syrah; it is deep garnet with flavors of ripe plum, cranberry, tart cherry and cocoa, smooth tannins, medium body, and a crisp, dusty finish reminiscent of the dry vineyards that produced it. Serve this gentle, gracious wine with zarzuela, sausages and white beans, Bourbon-grilled lamb or Tillamook cheddar with sesame crackers.

The brilliant yellow wine, with flavors of pear, gala apple and lemon, is crisp, clean, juicy and refreshing. It has medium body, balanced acidity and a smooth finish. Although delicious to sip on a sunny afternoon, it has the substance to serve with food. Pair with shrimp risotto, trout almandine or roast chicken.

This is lovely, dry rose! A beautiful cherry color, and flavors of strawberry, raspberry with a squeeze of lemon, frame this juicy, crisp wine. It is a blend of Grenache and Tempranillo that was harvested in the highest altitude of the vineyards in the Alavesa District. Enjoy this delectable wine with hot dogs, pasta salad or BLTs.

Canterbury’s stunning Waipara region is one of the unsung heroes of the wine industry. Waipara terrior and a long, hot autumn period help produce unique, richer, spicier Rieslings. The brilliant, light-yellow Hay Maker Riesling has floral aromas accented by lemon, lime and pineapple. Flavors of lemon, lime and orange, tingling acidity, medium body and a crisp finish deliver a wild swinging punch to the palate! Make hay while the sun shines! Buy this delicious wine! It will be delightful with grilled shrimp, Sole Veronique, or salt and vinegar potato chips.

Frost Cuvée is specially crafted each year to best reflect the outcome of the growing season. It is a blend of Riesling and Gewürztraminer, accented by their cuvée of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The brilliant, light yellow wine has aromas of lemon, pear, spicy cherry and peach which are recapitulated on the palate with the addition of a touch of lychee. It is round and juicy with a hint of sweetness and a long, crisp finish. This complex, delightful wine to enjoy on a summer day, with Thanksgiving dinner, ham salad sandwiches, smoked fish or anything in between.

As Captain Louis Renault said, “Round up the usual suspects.” Shiraz is one of the usual suspects when considering Australian wine. An elegant wine from McLaren Vale, it displays deep garnet color, flavors and aromas of raspberry, blueberry, blackberry, tar and mint. A generous, balanced wine, it is crisp and tangy with a smooth finish. Enjoy this luscious wine with hot dogs in the summer, chili in the winter and beef stew or pasta with red sauce all year. “Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.”

From the heart of Tuscany, here is a smooth and generous wine that is a blend of 60% Sangiovese and 40% Merlot and was aged four months in French oak barrels. A ruby red wine with violet reflections, it has flavors and aromas of plum, tart cherry, cocoa and olives, crisp acidity, smooth tannins and a graceful finish. Delicious with wild boar stew, grilled lamb chops or eggplant parmesan. Enjoy this delightful wine often! Consider buying a case!

La Maialina celebrates the history, culture and cuisine of Tuscany, prized since antiquity for its rich soil and favorable climate. The name La Maialina (little pig) refers to the Cinta Senese, which is the only native Tuscan pig to survive extinction. The wine is deep garnet with purple edges, and has flavors and aromas of purple plum, blueberry, raspberry, cocoa and hints of roasted meat and smoke. It has bright acidity and also a creamy quality. There is a recapitulation of the raspberry flavor, soft tannins before the satisfying finish. It is a blend of 45% Sangiovese, 25% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon and is aged 10 months in French oak barrels. Serve with roast pork, mushroom risotto or barbecued hamburgers. Enjoy this reasonably priced “super Tuscan” often!

The Frescobaldi family has made wine in Tuscany since 1308. Rufina is the smallest of the sub-areas of Chianti. The region is more mountainous than hilly; the grapes ripen more slowly due to the day-night temperature differential, which can produce rich wines. The Nipozzano has brilliant, purple-edged ruby red color. There are aromas of plum, olives, thyme, rosemary, blueberry, cranberry, dark cherry and red meat. The flavor is rich and round with crisp fruit, hints of cocoa and clove. The tannins are smooth. The finish is long and satisfying. This elegant and delicious wine is a wonderful Chianti. Enjoy with grilled, well-aged steaks, Boeuf Bourguignon, Agnello con olive all’Abruzzese or aged cheese.

Handcrafted in Mátra, Hungary, this wine is 100% Irsai Oliver, a cross between Pozsonyi and Pearl of Csaba created in 1930. Limpid straw in color, it has aromas of pink grapefruit and peach. There is a sense of sweetness in the nose that is totally lacking when tasting. The flavors are pear and mango. It is smooth and juicy, crisp and bright, with an easy finish. Enjoy this delightful wine while sitting on the dock with your feet dangling in the water, or with ham salad sandwiches, grilled sausages or General Tso’s shrimp. It’s a winner!

Frattoria Querciarossa… a hill drenched in light… vineyards with two enormous oak trees… near the remains of an Etruscan vineyard… is in Maremma in Tuscany. The wine, a blend of Sangiovese, Alicante and Ciliegiolo, is fermented under controlled temperature in stainless steel vats. It has brilliant ruby red color and aromas of cherry, blueberry, red raspberry and clove. Tasting reveals a dark cherry flavor, smooth tannins, balanced acidity and a medium finish. Enjoy this round, juicy wine with grilled pork tenderloin, jambalaya or pecorino toscano.

Monteregio di Massa Marittima is one of Italy’s newer DOC wines. The warm Tuscan sun produces rich, ripe grapes. The wine was matured for 12 months in small French oak barrels. The dense, ruby/purple-hued 2003 Sassabruna has aromas of ripe, red raspberries, sweet tobacco and cocoa, and flavors of cherry, raspberry, black pepper, dark chocolate and clove. This full-bodied, complex wine has smooth tannins, great depth and a long, elegant finish. As you enjoy the wine, it continues to evolve in the glass for an enriching experience. Serve with roast lamb, grilled calves liver or well-aged Parmigiano-Reggiano.

This delightful wine from Offida, an official wine appellation of the northern part of the Marche region of Italy, is made from the Pecorino grape, an early ripening white wine grape. The brilliant yellow wine has floral and juicy pear aromas. It is bright, crisp and juicy with lemon and pear flavors, medium-body, bracing acidity that cries out for food, and a smooth finish. Serve this delicious wine with vincisgrassi, lasagna, grilled fish, stuffed veal breast or cheese.

This Puglian wine, named for the vineyard denizen Gazza Ladra (“Thieving Magpie”), is a steal! It is light gold in color, with orange and almond aromas, and flavors of pear, McIntosh apples and lime. This bright, crisp, round wine is medium-bodied with a juicy, long finish. Enjoy with grilled tilapia, chicken in mushroom cream sauce or fresh chevres, and crow about it to your friends.

La Mancha is more than Don Quixote and windmills; it is wonderful wine! Since 1986, when Spain joined the European Union, a winemaking revolution has transformed Castilla-La Mancha’s image. La Mancha is an arid, fertile, elevated (2000 ft.) plain, characterized by cold winters (5 ), hot summers (113 ), and lack of moisture during the growing season. La Mancha is from the Arab word al-mansha, meaning wilderness. The grapes had 12 days maceration, followed by 9 days fermentation in stainless steel. Malolactic fermentation (30 days), 8 months in new French oak and 5 months in bottle prior to release, completed the process. The wine is deep garnet with purple edges. Aromas of plum, blueberry, oregano, raspberry, cherry and cinnamon are the path into flavors of spicy cherry, pepper and a hint of cocoa. The wine is juicy, round and mouth-filling, full-bodied with great structure and a long finish. Enjoy this smooth, luscious wine with lamb vindaloo, pizza with anchovies and onions, rabbit stew, grilled chorizo or aged Manchego. Buy a case! This wine is great!

Uby has been cultivating vines on the hillsides of Gascogny for over a century, in the heart of the protected environment where the last European Testudo (aquatic tortoises) are found. A blend of Colombard and Ugni Blanc, it is a brilliant yellow wine with flavors and aromas of lemon curd and juicy pear. The mouthwatering, crisp acidity leads to a tangy, medium finish. Enjoy this “yummy” wine with cheese and crackers, grilled, coconut shrimp or grilled chicken. It’s so good you should buy a case!

This is another wine from Emili Esteve and Manuel Martinez of Vinos Sin Ley (“wine without law”), those innovative, creative producers of great value wines. The Zestos Especial (85% Tempranillo, 15% Syrah) is from Arganda del Rey, arid plains south of Madrid. The wine is deep garnet with purple edges and has flavors and aromas of plum, blueberry, ripe, red cherry, strawberry, clove, cinnamon, black pepper and licorice. It has medium body, smooth tannins and a medium tangy finish. Buy this graceful, delicious wine by the case! Enjoy with smoked polish sausage, grilled chicken or steak, or barbecued ribs. Salud!