Despite a spring stymied by rainstorms and cooler-than-average temperatures, Memorial Day weekend is upon us. With luck, the sun will shine, and parties—complete with sizzling barbecues and outdoor fun—will proceed apace.
Just as robust red wines lend warmth to chilly weather and its fare of roasted meats and hearty stews, white wines naturally go with the fresh veggies and grilled goodies of early summer. And since the winemakers of Santa Barbara County are always exploring new grape varieties and refining familiar ones, they have plenty to offer for this year’s festivities.
If the holiday menu features pork loin or chicken parts cooked over an open fire, a complex Rousanne makes a perfect liquid accompaniment. Ready to drink now, the 2007 Zaca Mesa Rousanne features a nose of apricots, honey, and spice, along with a lingering finish laced with minerality, all of which contrast nicely with savory flavors.
Also a winner with pork and poultry, as well as mild cheeses and green vegetables, Viognier offers crisp qualities underscored by lush tropical components. Best consumed within a few years of bottling, this wine can exert a powerful attraction, especially on those who appreciate its potential for exotic expression.
The Au Bon Climat 2009 Viognier, which spent seven months in an upright French oak tank, displays a slightly creamy texture punctuated by aromas of jasmine and lime zest, followed by notes of pineapple and spice. A brisk finish provides a dust-busting burst of acidity that’s remarkably refreshing.
Buttonwood Farm Winery makes another memorable—and fairly rare—white wine: Marsanne. The winery’s 2008 vintage boasts a delicacy that’s enhanced by subtle notes of pear and spice. This ideal summer wine pairs well with green salads and fruit medleys, chilled soups, and light appetizers.
Once reviled for its sheer omnipotence, Chardonnay is enjoying a much-deserved comeback. Winemakers have not reintroduced the big, oaky butter-bombs of the past, but rather an array of deftly nuanced and food-friendly wines.
Leading the charge is Richard Sanford, whose Alma Rosa Winery offers a 2008 Chardonnay crafted using French Chablis as a role model. Sanford has retained the fresh flavors of lemon and pear inherent in the grape, and introduced a hint of oak for depth. The wine pairs wonderfully with the fixings for a crab boil, as well as grilled fish drizzled with fruit salsa.
When the weather heats up and afternoons call for lounging in the shade, nothing vanquishes thirst and the cares of the day quite like a chilled pink wine. The subject of renewed interest among local winemakers, rosés deliver some of the complexities of red wine, in a light, white-wine style.
Margerum Wine Company recently released its 2010 Margerum Vin de Pays rosé, made from Grenache grown in Provence, France. Bright and fresh, this crisp, refreshing wine makes a fine quaff year round, but really shines with the salads and grilled seafood of summer.
Winemaker Doug Margerum crafted the wine as if it were a white by bleeding off some of the Grenache juice and fermenting the slightly pink must at cold temperatures. He then blended in red Grenache from a neutral barrel to add tannin, complexity, and “seriousness” to the wine.
Made in a classic Rhône style, the Curtis Winery 2009 Heritage Rosé combines 48 percent Mourvèdre, 25 percent Grenache, 16 percent Cinsault, and 11 percent Syrah. It boasts aromas of watermelon and orange blossom, mouthfilling flavors of cherry and pink grapefruit, and bright mineral accents, making it ideal for sipping solo or alongside grilled meats and veggies.
Of course, the arrival of Memorial Day weekend means the air will shimmer with smoke from grills loaded with beef tri-tip and top block. Natural matches for Santa Maria-style barbecue range from refreshing rosé to robust Syrah.
Syrah naturally exhibits the intense black fruit and peppery notes that resonate with the seasonings pitmasters use when cooking up Santa Maria-style barbecue. Among those that make a great match are the Curtis Winery 2007 Syrah, grown in the estate Crossroads Vineyard.
Part of the winery’s Vineyard Series Syrahs program, the wine delivers aromas of violets, mocha, and bacon, along with velvety flavors of cherry and boysenberry. White pepper accents give it a delightful spice that marries well with the meat and the chunky salsa served as a side dish.
According to Gary Burk, owner/winemaker at Costa de Oro Winery, Pinot Noir aged in French oak makes a perfect partner for Santa Maria-style barbecue. He reasons that the wine picks up toasty characteristics from barrel aging that match the flavors the meat absorbs from the red oak fire.
To test the validity of his theory, Burk suggests pairing the Costa de Oro 2008 Dijon Selection Pinot Noir, aged in 50 percent new oak, with a tri-tip meal. The wine’s rich, smoky components wrap around berry-licious qualities that fairly sing with the savory, caramelized crust of the meat, creating perfect harmony for a fun-filled Memorial Day celebration.
K. Reka Badger knows perfect harmony when she tastes it. Contact her at rekabadger@hotmail.com.
This article appears in May 26 – Jun 2, 2011.