may we suggest
fruits of the vine the wines of fall — at the game, at the river or by the fire Fall is a great time to enjoy wine. It’s warm enough to allow you to appreciate a chilled glass of white, and the evenings are nippy enough to settle in front of a fire and uncork a deep, richer red. Whichever you choose, there’s a great wine waiting for you that will accompany any autumn activity. The great thing about the outdoors this time of year is that there are fewer bugs. It’s a bit cooler so, if you are a sweathog like me, you don’t get so damp. Recently, I took a three-mile hike around a lake. The leaves were still green but there were signs of fall. Geese honked overhead. A lone osprey, on its way south, circled the shallows looking for fish. I had to be careful because newts and salamanders were heading down the mountain and into the lake. They were very colorful: brilliant and shiny brown and burnt orange. They made me think of two good wines for this time of year; both of which have cute little lizards on the labels. Shingleback McLaren Vale Shiraz is a spicy and brooding wine that’s full of power and taste. This deep red is perfect with roasts and chili and has hints of persimmon, plum and a bit of a fire ball aftertaste. The McLaren Vale is a rich wine region featuring more than 80 vineyards clustered in a valley between the Lofty Mountains and the ocean, south of Adelaide, South Australia. D’Arenberg and Rosemount have holdings there, as well. Shingleback Shiraz isn’t cheap. It’s become a hit and now it runs about $25 a bottle, but it’ll make a party special. It’s great for taking the chill off. A more affordable but equally good is fall/winter 09
Thirsty Lizard, which offers a chardonnay, a shiraz and a white shiraz for $9 a bottle. The chardonnay is beefy enough to stand up to tomato sauces, but I like the white shiraz (it’s actually a blush) for light fall afternoon drinking. It has hints of raspberry and lemon verbena in a slightly effervescent texture. My only complaint is the lizard got a makeover and now looks a tad too buff for me. Two perfect wines for tailgating parties are merlot and sauvignon blanc. They’re light and fresh and go well with finger foods, which is all I can pull together for a prekickoff party. And, yes, I know some of the tailgating set really go all out but I’m there for the game, not a five-course dinner. For a Saturday afternoon game I’d go with a Washington State Merlot. Structured, a bit dry, but with generous fruit. It’s the right sophistication level to go with fancy hors d’oeuvres or a bologna sandwich. Covey Run Merlot, $10, is a middle-of-the-road wine that hints of quince, currants and Concord grapes with a nice bouquet that has a touch of pencil shavings. A higher-end, Washington merlot, is the Leonetti Merlot. This is a blended French-style wine (Merlot 82%, Cabernet Sauvignon 7%, Cabernet Franc 4%, Carmenere 4%, Sangiovese 3%). It’ll be the hit of any gathering, but it’ll set you back about $60, if you can find it. This wine’s beauty is in the way it reveals its flavor layers, from first sip to finish. It’s comes from the blazing hot Walla Walla Appellation in the eastern part of the state. For a light white, go with Kendall Jackson Vintner’s Reserve Sauvig-
non Blanc. It’s good, it’s cheap and the other 11 million people who buy it can’t be wrong. Cost is $8 with hints of citrus and a refreshing flavor. This is my favorite time of year for kayaking and canoeing, and since these vessels are peoplepowered, you can use the savings to pick up some wine. Picture a quiet morning on a glass-still lake, sun lifting over the trees, a chalky fog slowly turning transparent and then vanishing. That must be how it feels to be a grape in Napa, where the sea breezes gently en-shroud the vines with mist and fog until the Californian sun pushes through. So for fall boating, look to California for an exciting après-boating refresher. Here are a couple of whites that’ll make you want to shout “Land Ho.” The first is Ferrari-Carano Fume Blanc, around $18. It’s fullbodied with watercress, lemon and pineapple fruit and a lightly puckery finish that makes it the perfect thirst quencher. The second is De Loach Gewurztraminer Early Harvest, $13. The Gewurztraminer probably won’t be America’s wine sweetheart anytime soon. It’s a little sweet and it needs the right food. But if you’re cooking up a turkey or a simple turkey sandwich this wine will cozy right up and provide you a “wow”. It’s sort of a peaches and cream taste with a hint of honey and a dried apple finish. Enjoy! Article by: Tim Protzman / www.hippopress.com 59