Pair wine with tomatoes

What to drink with hearty sauce, gazpacho and more

Look, I know, when you think beach time and summertime, you don’t think about porters and stouts. I don’t either, except sometimes I do.

From May through September beer enthusiasts are drinking and talking about beers that are crisp, fresh, light and bright, and that’s great. I’m all for it. Most of the time in the summer, that’s what I want too.

You have to shake things up, though. You just do. Sometimes things just get a little too crisp and a little too bright, and nothing resets your palate in summer quite like a rich porter or stout.

Now, OK, I’m not suggesting that you crack open a Guinness at 1 p.m. on a blazing hot summer day at the beach. You’d regret that move. Not every day is a blazing, hot summer day at the beach, though. Especially in New England — though admittedly perhaps not this summer — you have plenty of days at the beach or at the lake or in the mountains where cool breezes stand out more than the fiery sun, so seize those moments and treat yourself to something a little richer.

Imagine taking in the summer sunset on a cool, clear New Hampshire evening with a decadent coffee stout. It’s truly hard for me to imagine something more relaxing and more satisfying than that. I want that experience right now and I think you should want it too.

This notion really came to me a week or so ago when I was on vacation enjoying a porter called “Portah” by Barnstable Brewing of Hyannis, Mass. The deep richness and complexity was unlike anything I’d drunk recently and it was invigorating as I, wait for it, took in the sunset at the beach.

Here are four stouts and porters you should try this summer.

Granite Stout by 603 Brewery (Londonderry)

This is big on chocolate and coffee and I really do think that’s what the doctor ordered. I think summertime is about enjoying something a little extra. Maybe you say yes to that ice cream run on a Tuesday night because it’s summer. Or maybe you have this decadent, delicious brew instead of the ice cream. (Or you have both.) At 8 percent ABV, this is one you can savor over the course of an evening.

Campfire by Throwback Brewery (North Hampton)

This is a smoked robust porter, which, yes, makes it the perfect accompaniment to a campfire or to hearty, grilled meats and barbecue, so says the brewery. This brew is in fact robust, but at 6.4 percent ABV this is much more palatable in terms of its heft than you might be thinking. You’ll pick up smoky notes for sure, along with pronounced rich malts, but again, neither is overpowering. In addition to grilled meats, I think this would pair well with a wide range of foods.

Draken Robust Porter by Kelsen Brewing Co. (Derry)

While the roasty, toasty malts are the defining characteristic here, I think you get a bit more sweetness on this one than you might expect. To that point, the brewery says, it has flavors of dark fruit and raisins, in addition to coffee, chocolate and caramel. This one has layers of complexity to appreciate and savor.

Black Cat Stout by Portsmouth Brewery (Portsmouth)

If you get this on tap, the brewery uses nitrogen, which produces a thick, rich, creamy brew boasting big flavors of chocolate and coffee. This one is pretty dry, and I mean that in a good way. I wouldn’t really refer to a stout as refreshing but this is very easy to drink and one I wouldn’t hesitate to order on a summer day or evening.

What’s in My Fridge
Things We Don’t Say by Wandering Soul Beer Co. (Beverly, Mass.)
This was tremendous. Just one of those beers that makes you say, “Yup. That’s real good.” This is a “New England Double IPA brewed with flaked oats, white wheat, and aggressively dry hopped,” according to the brewery. It’s got the citrusy burst that you want, coupled with a balanced finish — and not overly bitter. Find this one for sure. Cheers!

Rosés to beat the heat

Make every day a rosé day

With this incessant heat, what can be more satisfying than a cool glass of rosé wine, either as an aperitif or with a salad or light meal?

Rosés should be served at about 50 to 55 degrees, and an opened bottle should be kept on ice after opening to keep the last glass as cool as the first. Rosé wine comes in countless styles — fruity and fun, or savory, dry and serious. Rosé is produced worldwide, and while southern France, Italy and Spain are well-known for producing rosés, California and New Zealand and other parts of France are entering into this growing market of wine styles. Rosé is made from red grapes, but with just a brief period of skin contact with the grapes in the making of the wine — usually just a few hours to a couple of days — and fermentation in cool stainless-steel containers, the wines are intended to be consumed while they remain quite young.

Our first wine is a bottle of Luna Rosé 2018 (originally priced at $17.99 at the New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlets and reduced to $8.99) and hails from Napa, California. Luna Vineyards dates from 1995, when the current owners of the property brought along with them not only their generations of vineyard management but also some of Italy’s varietals. They were the first to plant pinot grigio in the valley, and this rosé is made from sangiovese grapes — yes, the same grapes that go into Classico Chianti! The color is a beautiful shade of pink. Both the nose and the taste are light and full of fruit. This wine is perfect for sipping or paired with chicken or pork. As a young, inexpensive wine, this is a great place to start an introduction to wine. It is neither too dry nor too sweet. As a young wine, it does not have a strong presence.

Our second and third bottles of wine come from “Down Under.” Kim Crawford 2019 Rosé (originally priced at $15.99 at the New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlets and reduced to $11.45) hails from Hawkes Bay, New Zealand. This region and especially Kim Crawford are known for world-class chardonnays and sauvignon blancs. Primarily made from merlot grapes and cool fermented, this wine has a beautiful pink color and a nose of strawberries and melons. The taste is crisp and dry and would pair well with summer salads. The merlot grape has a rich, robust flavor, and when turned into a red wine is paired with steak or other hearty fare. As a rosé, this wine is light and is a big departure from that full-mouth flavor of a merlot red wine.

The other New Zealand rosé is an Oyster Bay 2018 Rosé (originally priced at $14.99 at the New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlets and reduced to $10.99) and also hails from Hawkes Bay, New Zealand. This rosé is made from pinot noir grapes. It has a light pink color and has notes of cherry and strawberry to the nose. The berry and herb notes of pinot noir come through to the tongue, allowing it to be paired with appetizers as varied as lamb lollipops and grilled chicken. As with the Luna, this is a good wine for the newly initiated as the flavors are not challenging and there is a medium acidity to the tongue.

Our fourth rosé might be considered a French traditional rosé. The J Mourat Collection 2019 Rose Val de Loire (originally priced at $15.99 at the New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlets and reduced to $12.99) does not come from Provencal, France, known for its diverse rosé winemaking styles, but as its name implies it comes from the Loire River valley. This vineyard is along the western reaches of the Loire, so the climate is treated to warm days and cool ocean breezes at night. The blend of pinot noir, cabernet franc, negrette and gamay grapes imparts a color that is a rich rose, along with aromas and flavors of raspberries and strawberries. With some citric acidity and minerality, and a dry finish, it is perfect for hot weather dining of chicken or salads.

So, beat the heat with any one or all four of these vastly different takes on what is becoming a popular style of wine, the rosé. You will be surprised with the diversity in this style of wine.

European tour with dinner

With stops in Loire River Valley and Piedmont region

Take a virtual trip to two famous European wine-producing regions. Imagine the chateaux of the French Loire Valley and the hilltop towns of Italy’s Piedmont region.

Our first wine comes from Montoire sur le Loir, France. Domaine Le Montoire 2018 Sancerre (originally priced at $51.99, and on sale at the NH Liquor and Wine Outlets at $25.99) is a real delight. This is comprised of 100 percent sauvignon blanc grapes and is a wine many shy away from as it frequently tastes of grapefruit or grass. This wine does neither! The color is of straw, with just a slight bit of green. To the nose it has fruit and floral notes along with a bit of lemon zest. To the mouth the citric notes are dominant, with the ever so slight bitterness of marmalade, turned to a very slightly sweet lemon dessert-like finish. This is not a sweet wine, nor is it a bitter wine. This is a very light wine that when chilled can be sipped on a late summer afternoon, along with some fine triple crème cheese and summer fruit: peaches, raspberries, or strawberries. For entrees, light seafood, such as scallops or shrimp, or white-fleshed fish would pair well with this wine.

This wine comes from a vineyard of about 34 acres, planted about Crézancy en Sancerre, a small village of about 500 people in the central Loire River Valley region. The soils are of clay and limestone, which give the wine its slight minerality. The Loire crosses the mid-region of France, just south of Paris. Its proximity to Paris has provided the valley the opportunity to become a major source of wine to the capital of France from its earliest times. Given its wide climate range and chalky soils, the 200-mile-long valley has become the source of an amazing variety of wines. The Loire is also home to an incredible number of grand chateaux and estates constructed from the 1500s to the 1700s in this same central region of the Loire River Valley, the source of this light, bright Sancerre.

Our second wine comes from the Piedmont region of northwestern Italy, approaching the borders of France and Switzerland. Nezzoni Barolo 2014 (originally priced at $39.99, and on sale at the NH Liquor and Wine Outlets at $19.99) is a prime example of a Barolo wine that is produced from nebbiolo grapes. The Piedmont is a region of Italy blessed with compact villages and roads with hairpin turns as they traverse the many hills and valleys that make up the terrain of sand, clay, gravel and glacial moraine. Almost every inch of land is dotted with vineyards. According to its label it is “refined for at least 36 months in large Slavonian oak casks before bottling. Rich, complex, with delicate tannins and great balance. Pairs well with game, red meat, elaborate main courses, truffles and mature savory cheeses. Serve at 60.8-64.4 degrees F.” The color is ruby to amber and somewhat translucent. To the nose it is spare; to the mouth it is very dry with pronounced tannins. Paired with our barbecued ribs, it was perfect as the wine cut right through the fat of the ribs and the sweet and sourness of the sauce.

This wine is of the 2014 vintage, a vintage plagued by almost incessant rains up until just before harvesting. I fully expect this Barolo should be able to cellar as well as more fortunate vintages for a predictable 20 years. In fact, there may be a true bargain in picking up this Barolo at 20 bucks a bottle!

Carpe diem

Something new in sparkling wines

Carpe diem — seize the day! Embark on something new! Even John Keating, played by Robin Williams in Dead Poets Society, famously says, “Carpe diem. Seize the day, boys. Make your lives extraordinary.” Well, broadening your experiences with wine is rewarding. Borrowing from that quote, an “extraordinary” array of wine produced from seemingly unlimited manners of blending of grape varieties produces a vastly diverse tasting spectrum and sensations.

Gruet Cuvée 89 Brut (originally priced at $29.99 and on sale at the NH Liquor and Wine Outlets at $14.99) is designed to be savored. The wine has a light straw color to it and to the nose there is a slight yeast note along with a little slate-like minerality. To the mouth, green apples along with citrus rind round the tongue. The label states, “Gruet specializes in Méthode Champenoise wines. The Cuvée 89 by Gruet is a brut style sparkling wine which boasts notes of green apple and ripe pear and finishes with round crisp acidity.” This wine is slightly “sweet” to some. That is not to be confused with an effervescent moscato, as it is not that sweet. This is a wine that can be enjoyed alongside some cheese and fruit; it is equally refreshing alone, sipped on a long summer’s afternoon.

What makes this sparkling wine so amazing is that it is from New Mexico, but its origins lie in France. Gilbert Gruet, the founder of Gruet Winery, was born to a poor family in the village of Bethon, in the Champagne region of France. He created a co-op in his village to market still wines, Champagnes and brandy. The family traveled to the American Southwest in search of soils and climate in which to farm and planted their first American vineyards in Engle, New Mexico, in 1984 on land with elevations of 4,000 to 5,000 feet above sea level. The sandy soils and dry climate with cool nights proved to be ideal. In 1989 their first releases developed a following, ultimately realizing awards in the early 2000s and in 2011 a No. 43 spot on Wine Spectator’s Top 100 Wines of the World list for its Non-Vintage Blanc de Noirs. Gilbert’s children Laurent and Nathalie now run the business.

Veuve du Vernay Ice Sparkling Demi Sec Rosé (originally priced at $16.99 and on sale at the NH Liquor and Wine Outlets at $11.99) has been created especially to be enjoyed on ice in a large glass. Defined as a “vin mousseux,” a sparkling wine with an alcoholic content at 11 percent, it is perfect as an aperitif or for dessert. Its color is the slightest of a pale pink and its nose is very slight with raspberries and some citrus. To the mouth it has fruit notes of raspberries with a very slight edge of acidity. A blend of non-vintage syrah, cinsault and brenache, it is bright and refreshing, and with its low alcoholic content it is perfect for a warm, sunny afternoon. Like prosecco, the wine is created using the Charmat process — that is, its secondary fermentation takes place in pressurized stainless steel tanks. When complete, it is filtered and bottled under pressure. This is distinct from the Méthode Champenoise noted above wherein the secondary fermentation takes place in the bottle.

This wine is one of several sparkling wines owned by the house of Patriarche, a Beaune, Burgundy-based wine company that in turn is owned by the conglomerate Group Castel, a multinational beverage company producing wine, beer and soft drinks from estates around the world. These wines are produced in Bordeaux and exported to more than 40 countries. The wine is classified as a Vin de France, a new national appellation from France. This new classification releases the wine from the strict, confining, traditional classifications France has used since the start of the 19th century and allows the public to better understand French wine; a Burgundy becomes a pinot noir, named for the grape from which it is produced.

So break away from the traditional chardonnay or pinot grigio, or even prosecco, and explore these sparkling wines on a sunny weekend afternoon! You will be happy with your discovery!

Beer for the beach or pool

Go for a crisp, refreshing Pilsner

It’s beach time and it’s pool time — and if you’re relaxing in the hot sun at the beach or beside a pool, you’re going to need a beer to wash down that salty air.

While the brand doesn’t matter as much, the style of beer you want is a Pilsner. Crisp, refreshing, easy to drink, bright and best served ice cold (if you ask me), Pilsners are beers you just don’t need to think too much about. When you’re poolside or better yet floating in a pool, that’s the perfect time to drink a beer you don’t need to spend time considering.

That’s not to say that Pilsners aren’t interesting — many certainly are — but the point is, Pilsners taste like beer. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with enjoying a few Pilsners from the big names in the industry, such as Budweiser or Coors, but craft breweries have caught on that beer enthusiasts often want an alternative to IPAs and hefty stouts and porters. That means you have a plethora of craft Pilsners available, each offering subtle nuances, and generally all quenching the “I just need a beer” thirst on a hot, summer day.

Separate point, but there is no reason Pilsners can’t be the gateway beer for beer drinkers first diving into the sometimes overwhelming world of craft beer. They are not intimidating and they taste good pretty much universally.

Final point, Pilsners are low in alcohol — as in typically less than 5 percent ABV — meaning I give you permission to have more than one. And because they are lighter and have less alcohol, they don’t bog you down.

Here are six easy-drinking New Hampshire-made Pilsners to cool you down by the beach or by the pool or maybe after you’ve mowed the lawn:

Carry On by Great Rhythm Brewing Co. (Portsmouth)
This is a Bohemian-style Pilsner and I’m not going to pretend that I know what that means. This is a classic Pilsner in my book: super crisp, super refreshing and super easy-to-drink. Perfect after you’ve worked up a thirst catching a Frisbee at the beach exactly two times.

Northbound by Great North Aleworks (Manchester)
This is technically a summer seasonal, but I think Great North Aleworks should offer this year-round. There I said it. You get a little more citrus flavor on this then you might on other Pilsners, which helps set it apart.

Alexandr 10˚ by Schilling Beer Co. (Littleton)
This has a little more complexity than you might expect as the hop character is a little more pronounced and there is a little more going on with the aroma, and I mean all of this in a good way. This is delicious.

PJ Pilsner by Concord Craft Brewing (Concord)
OK, I haven’t had this one but I am sort of a sucker for dry-hopped beers — I just think it adds a little excitement, complexity and energy to a beer, if that makes any sense. According to the brewery, this is light and refreshing and finishes crisp and clean. Perfect.

Lost River Light Ale by Woodstock Inn Brewery (North Woodstock)
I respect when breweries aren’t afraid to call a beer a light beer. Let’s be honest, that’s sort of what Pilsners are. The brewery says this is “perfect for lazy days at the local swimming hole.” I’m in.

Post Shift Pilsner by Jack’s Abby Craft Lagers (Framingham, Mass.)
I know this isn’t a New Hampshire brew but this is, to me, the perfect Pilsner. It’s light and refreshing and easy to drink, but it has plenty of flavor too. It’s a beer that tastes like a beer. And sometimes, that’s all you need.

Featured Photo: The pilsner is perfect for summer. Courtesy photo.

What’s in My Fridge
Pulp Daddy by Greater Good Imperial Brewing Co. (Worcester, Mass.) As you might expect from the name, this is extremely hazy, extremely juicy and also extremely delicious. This is a dialed-up version of a brew called Pulp. Find both and drink both. Cheers!

A virtual trip to Tuscany

Get a bit of Italy in a glass

While Covid-19 has limited our ability to travel, summer with its long days and warm sunsets takes us off to romantic, dreamy environments. Tuscany is one such place that comes to mind.

All of Italy is noted for its cuisine. Dishes like fagioli all’uccelletto (a side dish of cannellini beans stewed with tomatoes, garlic and sage), breads like focaccia and the luxuriousness of gelato all have their roots in Tuscany, Florence and its countryside. The cuisine of Tuscany can be both simple without overbearing sauces, but also inventive with multiple textures, herbs and spices enhancing its dishes. As for wine, Tuscany is known for Chianti but there are other wines produced, some well-known, others not.

Podere La Pace Rosso Maremma 2014 (originally priced at $59.99, and on sale at the New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlets at $25.99) is an interesting blend of 25 percent cabernet franc, 25 percent merlot, 25 percent cabernet sauvignon and 25 percent petit verdot. This wine is a “Bordeaux blend” that is unusual in that it has both merlot and cabernet sauvignon in the mix and they are mixed in equal proportions. The color of the wine is a deep, thick purple. To the nose it is floral, with a touch of dried fruit. To the mouth, it explodes with dried cherries and roasted plums, red currants, grilled herbs and hints of dried leather. The medium body is “plushly” textured. My wife described it as “crushed velvet.” There is a slight touch of underlying acidity providing some lift on the finish as it leaves behind flavors of cooked plums, grilled herbs and spicy tobacco notes lingering with a long, long finish. The alcoholic content is high at 14.5 percent, a little “hot” to the mouth, but it leaves beautiful “legs,” clear liquid lines on the side of the glass. This wine hails from Cura Nuova, located just four miles from the Gulf of Follonica on the Mediterranean Coast. Abiding by the strictest organic farming methods, the Podere La Pace vineyard, founded in 2007 with its first vintage in 2013, is small and young — just a little over 10 acres. In addition to the four grapes in this red wine, the vineyard is also planted in chardonnay and viognier, and produces limited quantities of olive oil and grappa. Wine production is limited to 30,000 bottles per year. Wine Enthusiast gave this wine a score of 88/100 and recommended to enjoy it before the end of 2020. This may be why the state liquor store has it on their “close-out list.” That being said, I would still recommend picking up a few bottles, as I believe it can cellar for a couple more years.

Blodilaia Brunello di Montalcino 2013 (originally priced at $55.99, and on sale at the New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlets at $27.99) is a true brunello, that is 100 percent sangiovese grosso. These grapes are noted for having thicker-skinned berries, producing wines with bold fruit flavors, high tannins and high acidity. These tannins and acidity extend the life of this wine, allowing it to reach perfection a decade or more after bottling. According to the strict wine-making parameters of the DOCG, the wine must develop on oak barrels for a minimum of two years, then bottled and cellared for another two years before it can be sold. This wine is now just coming into its own! Robert Parker described this wine as offering “blackberry and cherry nuances enhanced by spice, leather and elegant balsam herb.” The color is much lighter than the red blend discussed above. It has a slight amber tone to it, approaching the color of a fine sherry. To the nose it was reserved with slight floral notes. To the mouth the fruit was less forward than the red blend, offering a certain silky elegance. The tannins were in check and it had a nice, long finish. It was worth the wait!

So, dream a bit. You may not be able to visit Tuscany, but you can grill a steak, or split a chicken, rub it with herbs and enjoy an afternoon sunset. Enrich this simple fare with a simple antipasto or chicken liver pate spread on toast points. Try a Panzella, a cold salad of bread soaked in balsamic vinegar, mixed with onions and tomatoes, basil, all topped with olive oil of course! You will be carried off to Tuscany!

Big flavors for sunny days

Wines for your summer feasts

Summer is officially upon us.

Mother Nature has proven herself to be merciless as she introduced summer with our first official heat wave. Covid-19 and social distancing have limited our socializing, but as our world begins to open, small intimate backyard barbecues can once again become a reality for you, your family and close friends. We have been kept inside for so long that a simple barbecue can seem like a banquet! To that end the following wines are worthy of consideration for that great meal to be enjoyed out of doors.

Nicholson Ranch 2012 Sonoma Estate Chardonnay (originally priced at the NH Liquor and Wine Outlets at $44.99, and reduced at the Price Busters shelving to $22.99) won 86 points by Virginie Boone of Wine Enthusiast, who describes it this way: “oak, ripe pear and caramel dance to the fore of this wine’s bouquet, followed by thick, textural layers of lingering vanilla cream. The oak remains pronounced throughout the glass, giving the wine a sweetness on the finish.” I agree with this assessment, but I would add the wine has a bit of a citric note to it, with a full mouth taste of apricot, or peach. This wine is indeed very creamy; a friend described it as “buttery.” The oak combined with the “cream” allows this wine to become an excellent dessert accompaniment to summer fruit: strawberries, apricots, peaches along with soft, young cheeses. A true delight.

According to their website, Nicholson Ranch is a small family-owned winery of 40 acres located between the Sonoma and Napa valleys with panoramic views of these valleys but also Carneros, situated just north of San Pablo Bay. The cool breezes from the Mayacamas mountain range, just to the north, combined with the cooling effects of the Bay, combine for ideal conditions for pinot noir and chardonnay vineyards, the plantings of Nicholson Ranch.

Hierogram 2016 Vineyard 8 Block N Old Vine Zinfandel (Lodi) (originally priced at the NH Liquor and Wine Outlets at $45.99, and reduced at the Price Busters shelving to $22.99) got 86 points from Jim Gordon of Wine Enthusiast, who wrote, “…full bodied and quite ripe in flavor, this wine has a smoky, grilled veggie aroma followed by a mix of savory and jammy notes.” This aptly describes this wine that has an incredibly high alcoholic content of 15 percent and that is dry, yet surprisingly not “hot” from the alcohol. The wine has a deep, deep purple color; it is floral and prune-like at the same time. It has notes of blackberries and dark chocolate to the tongue, with a very pleasant and long finish. The tannins are there, but subtle. It is ideally suited to a variety of grilled foods such as ribs and hamburgers or to pairing with a red-sauced pasta. And what you do not finish over the meal, you can walk over to the fire pit with and just kick back.

The wine comes from Lodi, in California’s Central Coast, halfway between San Francisco and the Sierra Nevada mountain range. It is a prime example of old-vine zinfandels: 100-year-old vines, with some dating back to 1888! Lodi has warm, sunny days and cool evenings, and is home not just to zinfandel but also a vast array of other red wines. Zinfandel has an interesting history. Originating in Croatia, it made its way to southern Italy where it was named Primitivo. It came to America in the first half of the 19th century and landed in California during the Gold Rush of 1849. These ancient vines, located near Sacramento, languished during Prohibition, and today produce exceptionally concentrated and complex wines. They are a treat!

So head out to your backyard this evening to a great meal, paired with a robust red, followed by a delightful white paired to a seasonal dessert. And don’t forget to continue to savor these rich flavors, seated by a small fire in the firepit. Enjoy our all-too-short summer to its fullest.

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