What is it about July that feels
the most like summer? It's just
a fun month, even in the sweltering
heat. Fireworks, lemonade, hamburgers
on the grill, vacations, or at least
a slower pace -- it all adds up
to a relaxing, put your feet up
kind of month.
Here are a few new features that
we hope add enjoyment to your lazy
days of summer!
This issue's Splurge
Wine features a quote from
Peter Mondavi, Jr. of Charles Krug
Winery, plus our pick for a really
unusual (but delicious!) red out
of Napa Valley.
Jump onboard the QM2 -- at least
vicariously -- with this issue's
Sommelier
Pick: Jean Sebastian Richer.
His interview answers include our
new favorite phrase: "on a
Riesling tangent."
From the first day of summer, to
July 4th, to parties by the pool
-- it's time to stock up on summer
entertaining essentials, like
the handpicked favorites in this
issues Wine
& Food Links!
Despite all efforts to resist,
Robyn's
Picks features Calera.
Again. (Blame the Dessert Viognier...)
Our romance with summer tomatoes
doesn't stop at this issue's Quick
Entertaining -- we're going
back to one of our very first Wine
Skinny Cooks features (with
a few updates). Yes, we just go
tomato crazy in summer!
The diversity within the Gruppo
Mezzacorona portfolio makes
generalizations difficult, but there
does seem to be a common theme:
fresh, clean, fruit-driven wines
at prices that are about half what
you might guess in a blind tasting.
Learn more in this issue's Italian
Connection!
For this issue's Soup
to Nuts!, we've raided the
grocery store shelves for shortbread.
It's one of our favorite cookies
-- perfect to go with that afternoon
cup of coffee that sees us through
the rest of the day. And although
we love homemade shortbread best,
let's face facts -- we don't always
have the time to play Betty Crocker.
Find out which ones were our favorites!
No other winery (and
there are 35-ish in the region)
is as associated with the Livermore
Valley as Wente Vineyards. In
no small part, this is because Wente
Vineyards is Livermore's (and
California's) oldest family owned
and continuously operated winery
and, as such, has become sort of
the grand host of the region. Learn
more in this issue's World
Wide Wine.
Christine Hanna
came into the wine business naturally
enough -- her father, Dr. Elias
Hanna, purchased 12 acres in the
Russian River Valley in the 1970s.
Within a decade or so, this world-renowned
cardiac surgeon had founded the
winery, and his children were beginning
their home-schooling in winemaking.
Today, eldest daughter Christine
is at the helm... Read more in Drinks
with Les Dames!
Chianti and Pinot
Grigio are just the tip of the Italian
wine iceberg, with a slew of wine-producing
regions using all manner of international
and native grape varieties. Wine
Tasting explores a few Italian
whites beyond Pinot Grigio
and offers up a few recipes to go
with. Enjoy!
The Winery
Spotlight shines on California's
Zaca Mesa winery -- one of
the first wineries established in
Santa Barbara County after Prohibition
and a pioneer in producing Rhone
varietals in the region.
