Garganega white wine an variety of white Italian wine for summer Leave a comment
I think that finally, it is safe to say that for all intents and purposes, winter is finally over and we are starting the slow transition to summer. Because of where we live, and we live in a beautiful part of the world, our proximity to the ocean has an effect on our climate, namely the maritime influence as the water temperature is still in the mid-40s and when the sea breeze comes up, it cools us off. But I digress.
A few housekeeping notes before we discuss this month’s grape varietal. Are you ready for summer entertaining at home? Take stock of what you have and what you might need. Obviously, a good double-hinged waiter’s corkscrew is fairly important but I think you will notice that more and more wines are coming not only under cork but screw caps, cans, boxes, etc. All of this is good for many reasons.
I often discuss the importance of serving wine at the proper temperatures, so having said that, do you have an ice bucket? As we move outdoors at home and at restaurants, the temperature of the wine plays an important role in how enjoyable the wine will be. Red wine above 70 degrees becomes unpleasant, allowing alcohol to be the predominant aroma and the wine loses so many of its pleasant characteristics. On the other hand, white wine served at beer temperatures has the opposite effect; it mutes the aromas of the wine. Sparkling wines and rosés should be served cold. So, not to muddy your backyard event, just try and be sensitive to the temperatures. Also, red wine will benefit from decanting; the air softens up the tannins.
The next item you should stock up on is glassware, it is important and I would encourage all to have a Chablis glass for white wines and a red burgundy glass for reds. The Chablis glass is very appropriate for sparkling wines as well, so no need for flutes. Again, there are many styles of glassware for many grape varietals, so my advice, stick to the aforementioned glasses.
Last month I wrote about Valpolicella, a red wine from the Veneto region of Italy as it is an easygoing wine. I actually took my own advice and dined in a few of our Italian restaurants over the month and ordered the wine. Good advice. Well, as we begin our march to summer, the Veneto region provides us with a wonderful white wine, that being Garganega (gahr-gah-NEH-gah). Like almost all European wine, the grape is not on the label but rather the region. In this case, Soave (SWAH-veh) is the region in the western part of the Veneto region. Most of the wines labeled Soave are again, much like their red cousin, a blend. They must have a minimum of 70% Garganega and are usually blended with chardonnay, pinot bianco or trebbiano-these are the grapes of choice. Soave is a very popular dry white wine in Italy and like all the Italian wines there are differing degrees of quality. For this article, stick to those labeled Classico. The wine’s aroma is that of pear, lemon, saline with an aftertaste of almond. It possesses that all-important ingredient, acid, has a light to medium body, fruity, medium alcohol. As an aside, this region does make a sparkling wine and a sweet wine, but they aren’t so readily available.
So, in our search for interesting alternatives to the usual suspects, I have had a Soave on many of the lists I had written. It is a wine that was made famous by the wine company Bolla years ago. They produced several differing varietals, Soave among them that are basically everyday wines at a great price, hence the popularity. A magnum will run about $19 and is pretty darn good. A few other producers include Corte Sant Alda which will cost around $23 and Tenuta Santa Maria Pieve Lepia which is about $18. Probably my favorite is Pieropan Classico which will cost about $18 but they also produce a Calvarino at $35 and the star being La Rocca at $50.
Soave just so happens to be a wine made for our part of the world, pairing with seafood. It can be a simple sipping wine but let’s talk food. It works so well with our raw shellfish, clams and oysters. Obviously crab, scallops, lobster and mussels pair well including grilled finfish. A few items I am seeing more and more of on restaurant menus is squid ink linguini as well as branzino, two seafood items that have really taken off. Light, creamy pasta dishes, risotto and baked pasta dishes are also a hit. As for cheeses, goat cheese and pecorino to name a few. I also see Marcona almonds as an appetizer on many menus and Soave with its almond aftertaste is a winner. So as we move into summer and we all seek out the foods that we are known for, think of grabbing a Soave. The price is right, the matchup is great and the quality is there.
This month’s PSA: While government restrictions are all but gone, the hospitality industry continues to struggle. With the uptick in summer business, the labor situation continues to defy logic. Many I have spoken to don’t know how they will deal with it, much to their chagrin. Some will continue to shorten their hours, some will engineer their menus to reduce staffing levels in the kitchen; it is not a pretty picture. So, as I have said for months now, we are blessed with so many dining options and the restaurants will survive but their normal is certainly not back. I would strongly suggest making reservations well in advance if possible, as our places will fill up fast! Patience is a virtue, be kind!
Len Panaggio is a wine consultant and former corporate beverage director for Newport Harbor Corp. Send feedback and suggestions to lcp23223@gmail.com. The Wine Press runs each month in The Daily News and online at newportri.com.
