Best Buys

Summer Sippers…
Recent tastings have turned up some some appealing quaffs for summer sipping, affordable too, at The Wine Merchant in Cary and other local shops.

La Cappuccina Soave 2022  Veneto  $16  Fresh, dry, light; lively, with mineral accents, easy to sip on its own, good choice for mild fish like trout, sole or cod.

Venturi Verdicchio di Castelli di Jesi “San Martino” 2022   Le Marche   $16.99   Steely dry and crisp. Many good Verdicchios imported to the U.S. of very good quality—good choice for shellfish and other seafood; also goat cheese 

Baico Sangiovese 2022   Umbria   $16     The light red makes delightful sipping, best lightly cooled (20 minutes in frig should do it). Nice hints of cherry and juicy berries. Label says 14% alcohol, but it tastes lighter. An easygoing red you can drink on its own, or with savory snacks and cheeses.

Visintini Franconia 2021     Venezia Giulia  $20  A solid red, great for summer grilling. The franconia grape, known as blaufranisch in Austria and other eastern European regions, has nice grip and intensity without being heavy.  Very tasty berry-rich fruit, bright and balanced, versatile with grilled chicken, sausages, meaty pizzas.

2020 Domaine Fontsainte Corbières Rouge $15-19
A lively vivid red from the Languedoc in southern  France. Excellent choice for grilled or roast meats, meaty pizzas, savory cheeses, especially goat cheese.

2020 Thévenet, Bourgogne Rouge “Les Clos”     Burgundy   $18-20   Rare to find a simple Burgundy so tasty at this price. Appealing Pinot flavors of ripe berries with a spine of earthy minerals; nicely aromatic. A good match with roast Cornish game hen, or chicken, charcuterie, firm cheeses.

Looking for a good, dry sparkler? Check out Crémant de Bourgogne, more widely available than they used to be. Made from the Burgundian varieties chardonnay and pinot, with aligoté or gamay in the blend—such as the dry pink froth at left, Bailly-Lapierre (pinot noir and some gamay), a delightful bubbly with appealing accents of berryish fruit, dry and light, perfect as an aperitif.  $22-26   

Rioja Crianzas 2020-2021 Spain $14-19 
Among my favorite choices for roast chicken, paella, meaty pizzas, grilled sausages, these medium-bodied Spanish reds are palate-pleasing and versatile with food. Mostly tempranillo (the principal grape of Rioja), they are aged a year before release and notable for warm, lively fruit that is easy to drink. Labels to look for: El Coto, Cune, Marqués de Caçeres, Bodegas Lan.