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| Wines For Autumn Enjoyment by Doc Lawrence The oppressive stagnation of late summer is now a distant memory, and we are into the welcome magic of this glorious season. Our clothes, entertainment choices and preferences, and cuisine all change consciously. There are good and logical reasons for this, and one is simply that we strive to be comfortable within our lifestyle. Thus, it comes as no surprise that changes in the wines accompanying our food add to the autumn experience. Wine enthusiasts are lucky. There are now more wine varieties available on retail shelves than ever before. Consumer demand and a better-informed customer has given distributors the stimulus to bring in interesting and quality wines from Spain, South Africa, Argentina, Chile, Canada, Portugal, New Zealand and Australia. The same, unfortunately, can't be said for most Atlanta area restaurants who continue to cling desperately to the misguided belief that if ordinary Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and heavily oaked Chardonnay were hot items a decade back, then why ever offer customers anything new, adventurous or better? Be comforted that there are some great exceptions. The truly upscale establishments have wine lists that in some cases are the equal of the great restaurants in Manhattan. Combine availability and variety with the economic downturn, and you have wine bargains at your disposal everyday. A wine bargain is to cheap wine as reasonably priced tenderloin is to ground beef. Each bottle of wine purchased solely because of its low price will invariably guarantee a poor experience and perhaps even a dreaded headache the morning after. Remember, there are some genuine reasons for quality wine costing just a little more. And the reward will be a glass of wine produced with love for the grape and care for you. You'll know you have a bargain plus quality shortly after pouring. There will be an enticing fragrance, vivid color and as you sip, the metaphysical wine enjoyment experience will be triggered. This is as near as we can come to Shangri-la. Here are a few suggestions that promise nothing more than a reasonably priced journey into some new wine choices with the great possibility of discovering a treasure. Viognier, a white wine from the South of France, has enough minerals, fruit and backbone to accompany food not ordinarily associated with white wines. Pork, grilled or fried chicken, and smoked meats all pair well with this wonderful and heretofore obscure wine. The French Viognier is in all good wine stores plus Whole Foods and Your Dekalb Farmer's Market. There is also West Coast Viognier. Some are quite delicious and if the price is right, try a bottle. Malbec, one of the components in the regal wines from Bordeaux, is the dominant product of the Mendoza wine region of Argentina. It is a fabulous red, dry to medium-dry, deeply garnet, easily enjoyed and bargain priced. A year ago, I had to make a real effort to locate a bottle. Now, I even see it on the shelves of Publix. If you enjoy red wine with red meat, then Malbec is for you. It is the quintessential example of quality at a modest cost. Do you have trouble pairing wine with Asian cuisine? Most of us do, and so many local Asian restaurants compound our dilemma by offering poor wines for bloated prices. The solution is simple: Gerwurztraminer – the one from Alsace and Trimbach is an outstanding producer – for a white wine pairing, and for a wonderful red wine, nothing comes closer to perfection with Chinese or Tai entrees than Fleurie, the magnificent Grand Cru Beaujolais. Easily obtainable on retail wine shelves, don't hold your breath waiting for these to appear on any Asian restaurant wine menus. South African wines seemed to appear almost overnight here. They tend to be exceptional and priced right. You can't go wrong with Pinotage, the signature South African red. What distinguishes this wine is the often-smoky finish combined with a taste of up front bacon. The food pairing possibilities are endless. Chenin Blanc becomes a dry white wine with substantial fruit and memorable aroma when produced in South Africa. It's an all-purpose wine that serves as an aperitif and goes with just about everything. Autumn in Atlanta is more like a celebration than the passing of a season. We begin to anticipate the glories of the holidays and the profundity of reunion with dear ones. Timing is everything, and now is when we should act. There are some wine miracles out there just waiting to bring you some unexpected but well-deserved pleasure. EDITOR'S NOTE: Doc Lawrence regularly serves as a distinguished wine and food lecturer and cellar consultant. Doc’s most recent honor was his selection as a judge for the prestigious Florida Restaurant Show in Orlando in Sept. of 02, an international epicurean event attended by over 10,000 wine and food professionals. His original commentary is an regular feature of this website. Contact Doc: doclawrence@mindspring.com. |
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