Summer calls for wines that can hold up to the weather and still provide plenty of pleasure. All four of this month’s wines can do that. Yet, two wines truly stand out. Consequently, my first Top Pick goes to Carmen’s 2010 Gran Reserva Petite Sirah, a deep, robust wine with beautiful aromatics and impeccable balance. It may be the best bargain today in Petite Sirah; this wine is so good, it could easily sell for nearly twice the price and no one would be disappointed. Serve it cool at a barbecue or more formal affair, and allow it to work its magic. My second Top Pick belongs to Château de Fontenille’s splendid 2011 Entre-Deux-Mers white Bordeaux. One taste of the 2011 Château de Fontenille Entre-Deux-Mers and you’ll know why this classic white Bordeaux garnered Gold (the coveted Medaille d’Or) at Europe’s most prestigious wine tasting event, the Concours Mondial Bruxelles. Château de Fontenille’s Entre-Deux-Mers is made from four of the five traditional grape varieties for Entre-Deux-Mers (Sauvignon Blanc, Sauvignon Gris, Muscadelle, and Semillon), all of which add to the wine’s amplifying aromas and inviting flavors. This wine goes great with food and is simply delicious to sip on the porch. A votre santé.
Don
