Assuming the weather stays good that means lots of grilled foods in my house and the necessary juicy wines to accompany, some of these are more fruit forward than I normally drink but they fit the season. There's a lot on sale this month but I'm going to limit the list to six whites and six reds, once again there are no rosé that fit the criteria.
White Wine Bargains
Sumac Ridge Private Reserve Sauvignon Blanc, Okanagan Valley, reduced $2 to $9.29 - it doesn't scream Sauvignon Blanc but it is varietally true, on the softer side it works well with grilled fish or veggie kebabs
Errazuriz Estate Sauvignon Blanc, Chile, reduced $2 to $10.29 - for an extra buck it's a lot more Sauvignony than the Sumac and I recommend it a lot.
See ya Later Ranch Riesling, Okanagan Valley, reduced $2 to $11.99 - I've not always been fond of See ya Later's wines but this is a very good example of Okanagan Riesling, lots of crisp fruit and melon with a touch of sweetness and enough acid to balance well with shellfish or spicy chicken.
Villa Maria Private Bin Pinot Gris, New Zealand, reduced $3 to $13.49 - I'm not a big fan of Pinot Gris/Grigio but this is a nice example of the style, it still lacks the acidity I like but it's a good quaffer and works fine with appies.
Edna Valley Vineyards, Chardonnay, Central Coast, California, down $2 to $15.49 - this is old style California Chardonnay, and I mean that as a compliment. Too many Californian Chards are over the top fruit and butter but this wine has the tropical fruit/pear/apple component and enough minerality to accompany salmon or tuna off the grill, really nice and a good value.
Sokol Blosser Evolution, Oregon, down $2 to $15.69 - this is a blend of nine different grape varieties that creates a fruity, dry white wine that is great just for back porch sipping and a great partner to spicy seafood .
Red Wine Bargains
Nederburg Shiraz, South Africa, down $2 to $9.29 - the South Africans still have enough of their feet stuck in the old world to give their wines more acidity than often seen from the Southern Hemisphere, this is still soft approachable Shiraz but has enough character to carry the burgers or back ribs off the grill.
Santa Rita Reserva Merlot, Maipo Valley, Chile, down $2 to $11.29 - few places do juicy, ripe Merlot as well as the Chileans, this is a reserva wine with the fruit from Maipo Valley and while it is still fruit forward there is enough lead in its' pencil to go with chicken or beef off the grill and the fruit works well if there's some heat in the sauce.
Santa Carolina B Blend, Cachapoal Valley, Chile, down $3 to $11.29 - this is a blend of Carmenere, Grenache and Merlot from the coastal part of the Cachapoal Valley, the wine is surprisingly refined for this price point and pairs well with red meat, chicken or sausage off the grill.
Campo Viejo, Rioja Tempranillo, Rioja, Spain, reduced $2 to $12.79 - this is text book entry level Rioja at a great price, the wine shows all the beauty of Tempranillo and it's mix of red fruits, leather, vanilla, tobacco and spice. This is a very dry wine and is a great match to cured meats, pizza or spicier grilled meats.
Donna Paula Estate Malbec, Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina, down $2 to $15.39 - get the steaks,or lamb leg, pop the cork 30 minutes before dinner to blow off some tannin and then serve this beauty with that charred rib eye, Malbec and red meat are a great match and this is good Malbec at a very fair price.
Chateau de Pierreux, Brouilly, Beaujolias, France, down $2.30 to $16.99 - not easy to find, there are only about a dozen cases in Vancouver, but worth seeking out. Cru Beaujolais used to be a great value but then like all things French and winey it jumped the shark but this is really good value. This wine has all the red berry component you expect from Gamay but a nice minerally seam and some good tannins, tough enough to handle the red meats off the grill but with the fruit it's just awesome with grilled salmon.
Well that's it, hope you enjoy and happy quaffing.
