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By Phillip Bernstein
Wine Consultant for Calvert Woodley
Top 5 dinner-party whites:
1. 2004 Longuicher Maximiner Herrenberg Riesling Kabinett Schmitt-Wagner (Germany, Mosel). $17.99. German Riesling is by far the best-kept secret in wine. If you think they are all sweet, flabby wines, think again. Top-flight German Riesling such as this is racy, just sweet enough to be interesting, and a killer companion to Asian foods as well as anything spicy. It has the added benefit of low alcohol content, making your guests feel that much better.
2. 2004 Venica Sauvignon Blanc (Italy, Collio). $19.99. While people look to France's Loire valley and New Zealand for dry, crisp Sauvignon blancs, they often overlook Northeast Italy. If a wine of this quality came from a place like, say, Sancerre it would cost twice as much. Perfect with light seafood preparations and vegetarian cuisine.
3. 2004 Jean-Baptiste Adam Pinot Gris (France, Alsace). $15.99. Alsace Pinot Gris is the wine for salmon. Varieties range from dry to sweet, and to find out where on the spectrum a particular one is, you've just got to drink it. This one is toward the drier side, and has a lush, mouth-coating texture that complements salmon and other full-flavored dishes.
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4. 2004 Stadt Krems Riesling "Gillenparz" (Austria, Kremstal). $28.99. Another Riesling! OK, OK, trust me. This really is perhaps the world's greatest grape. Austrian examples tend to be drier then their German counterparts and this one is probably my favorite wine (red or white) under $30 right now. A rather full-bodied white, it would be great with crab cakes or any other seafood preparation. It would also go well with turkey.
5. 2004 Louis Latour Puligny-Montrachet Sous la Puits (France, Burgundy). $44.99. White Burgundy is the king of white wines. One-hundred percent chardonnay, this is an expensive wine that pairs well with expensive foods. Think lobster, cream sauces, and anything else you don't normally eat for dinner. If you've never drunk white burgundy with lobster, you haven't experienced one of life's great pleasures!
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Reds:
1. 2005 Fondreche O'sud (France, Cotes de Ventoux). $11.99. This wine comes from the Southern Rhone valley of France. Similar to a Cotes du Rhone, it is a blend of Grenache and Syrah and an absolute steal for the price. Fresh and unoaked, it would be a perfect cookout wine.
2. 2005 Sherwood Pinot Noir (New Zealand, Marlbourgh). $15.99. Decent Pinot Noir under $25 is becoming very difficult to find. This one from New Zealand is a rare exception. Serve with almost anything, especially poultry or pork.
Photo from Sherwood Estates
3. 2004 Paitin Dolcetto D'Alba (Italy, Piedmont). $18.99. Dolcetto comes from Italy's Piedmont region, home to the more famous Barolo and Barbaresco. It's another underrated wine that people don't pay enough attention to, the kind of wine you can sit back and enjoy while your friends chase over-oaked, over-priced California Cabernets that don't go with any foods at all. Best with pasta or anything else Italian.
4. 2004/5 Torbreck "Woodcutters" Shiraz (South Australia). $21.99. While I obviously prefer "old world" wines for their food friendliness and better price-to-quality ratio, I am a sucker for a good Aussie shiraz. Torbreck makes awesome wines, and this is their introductory cuvee. Always an amazing value, it is bold yet still nicely balanced. Best with ribs, burgers and steak.
5. 2003 Chateau Pontet-Canet (France, Bordeaux). $79.99. It would be impossible to leave the noble Bordeaux off this list. This wine is way too young, but 2003 was a hot vintage and it is showing pretty well in its youth. Pontet-Canet has gotten rather expensive, but makes wines on the level of many of its much more expensive neighbors. Use of a decanter a few hours ahead of time will help to soften out this big cabernet-based wine. Bordeaux is the wine for lamb and roast meats.
