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This Wednesday, we’ll be tasting and talking about Chef Nicholas’s picks for his favorite summer wines. And, yes, you can find and drink delicious wines at any price point. You’ll be introduced to several under $20 whites for beach or poolside sippin’. Chef Nicholas will touch on the wines below and he’ll share his thoughts on the best matches for fresh seafood, summer produce, and sizzling steaks and burgers from the grill.
Il Corzano Corzanello Bianco 2016: $15/bottle (with case purchase)
Aljoscha Goldschimdt is the owner and winemaker of Corzano e Paterno. This picturesque estate lies in the commune of San Pancrazio, just outside of Florence. Joshi is a farmer first; his 14 hectare of pristine vineyards are organically tended and are cropped at a low yield. The Il Corzanello Bianco is a blend of six varieties, each variety adding its own special character to this aromatic, zippy Tuscan white. It’s intensely fruity yet fresh and mineral with a long finish. Drink all summer long!
Château Turcaud – Entre-Deux-Mers Blanc 2015: $13.75/bottle (with case purchase)
If you’ve dined at the restaurant anytime over the last 16 years, chances are good you’ve tasted Maurice Robert’s classic white Château Turcaud Bordeaux. Just before we opened the restaurant, my wife, Melissa, and I enjoyed a glass of this wine at the Michelin-starred Le Taillevent, in Paris. As a 26-year-old chef with a billion things to obsess about with a new restaurant, copying this culinary legend’s choice for a house white was a no-brainer. This white Burgundy is an absolute crowd pleaser: it’s hard to find someone who doesn’t love this crisp, refreshing, easy-on-the-wallet white.
Corte Gardoni – Bianco di Custoza 2015: $16.50/bottle
Bele Casel – NV Prosecco: $18/bottle
Benoni Chardonnay – Petit Grains Willamette Valley 2015: $16.50/bottle (with case purchase)
In 2015, Oregon “gave birth” to some of the most electric chardonnays in America. But no other wineries offer the bang-for-your buck value like Benoni. Benoni is a small winery specializing in crafting cool climate chardonnay and pinot and in 2015, they focused in on Oregon. 2015 was the second classic vintage in a row, with a long, near-perfect growing season. The resulting wines are aromatically dynamic with a purity of fruit and mineral tinged acidity that reminds me more of burgundy than it does of the typical West Coast wine. This crisp, clean chard will be perfect with just about anything that shows up on your table. Best part: at $16.50, it is inexpensive enough that it won’t kill you to see Aunt Dolores drop a few ice cubes and a splash of seltzer in it.
