| Food and wine were meant to go together. In my | | | | "I like to recommend a nice, light Riesling, " he told |
| big Italian family, no gathering was complete | | | | me. "Something crisp and fresh." |
| without plenty of both. Winter feasts were easy | | | | In fact, he told me, several of their recent wine |
| for the food and wine lovers among us - a hearty | | | | tasting afternoons have featured barbecued food |
| red table wine is the perfect foil for most | | | | and wine that complements it. He recommended |
| southern Italian dishes. A pitcher of table wine | | | | several wines that he feels are 'fun wines' with |
| drawn from the cask in the basement was the | | | | good value. |
| typical accompaniment to our everyday meals. | | | | Flaio Primitivo (Salento, Italy) Primitivo is a grape |
| Red, white or rose, Italian table wines are meant | | | | varietal grown in the heel of Italy's boot. It's very |
| to be imbibed in the casual atmosphere of a | | | | similar to a good California Zinfandel - in Rich's |
| family dinner. They are light enough to be enjoyed | | | | words it's "almost an exact copy". It retails for |
| even by the casual food and wine enthusiast, and | | | | about $7 a bottle and is a great accompaniment |
| robust enough to complement the full-flavored | | | | for burgers and ribs. |
| richness of smoked and barbecued food. Which | | | | Bonny Doon Big House Red (California) Bonny |
| leads us to the subject of this little soliloquy - | | | | Doon has a lot of fun with their wines, according |
| mixing and matching food and wine for the | | | | to Rich, and he does believe that wine should be |
| barbecue. My own tastes run to Italian jug wines, | | | | fun. Big House Red is a blend of 7 or 8 grapes. |
| and if it was up to me, I'd tell you to just go out | | | | According to Bonny Doon's own web site, those |
| and buy a jug of Chianti and a jug of Lambrusco. | | | | varietals include syrah, petite sirah, Grenache, |
| It's what I grew up with, and I happen to love the | | | | barbera and malbec. It retails for about $12 a |
| little sparkle that a good Lambrusco (yes, they do | | | | bottle and its robust licorice and |
| exist!) adds to food. | | | | raspberry-accented bouquet stands up to the |
| In the interests of presenting a fair and educated | | | | spiciest barbecued ribs. |
| view, however, I decided to check with an | | | | Monte Antico (Tuscany, Italy) - "very similar to a |
| expert. Austin Liquor has been voted Best Liquor | | | | Chianti Sangiovese," said Rich. At $12 a bottle, it's |
| Store in Worcester for the past 5 years, mostly | | | | got great fruit, balances a barbecue, holds up well, |
| on the strength of its weekly wine tasting. A | | | | and has a very Italian looking label." To quote |
| Friday night tradition in Worcester since the late | | | | Monte Antico's own press, this wine is "Dark ruby |
| 1970s, each tasting offers food and wine based | | | | in color, its bouquet of leather, earth, herbs, black |
| around one or two specific vintages. I was | | | | cherries, licorice and plums is confirmed on the |
| directed to Richard Beams, Austin Liquor's | | | | medium to full-bodied palate - round, spicy, |
| resident wine expert, and directed my question to | | | | elegant, attractively fruity and extremely versatile |
| him: "What food and wine combination would you | | | | with any fare from pasta or risotto, to meat, |
| recommend for a summer barbecue?" | | | | fowl and cheese." |
| I did get my recommendations - but I also got a | | | | Rich's final recommendation was another 'fun' |
| wonderful overview of Rich's philosophy of | | | | wine, one that he says is a great 'food wine'. The |
| choosing wines, especially for fun or everyday | | | | top in his book is: |
| occasions. | | | | Three Thieves 2002 Zinfandel was voted #8 as |
| "I don't think it's necessary for people to spend | | | | one of the Hottest Small Brands of 2005. The |
| more than $12 for a bottle of wine for an | | | | wine comes in a 1 liter jug with a screw top, and |
| everyday dinner," he told me. "For a special | | | | is marketed as a 'fun thing', says Rich, but the |
| occasion like an anniversary dinner, sure, you can | | | | wine inside is a full bodied red zinfandel that goes |
| spend $20 or more for a bottle. A barbecue is a | | | | great with burgers or eggplant parmagiana. |
| fun occasion, though. For a barbecue you can get | | | | "The wine is excellent, and it's about $11," Rich |
| really good quality wine for under $12." | | | | added. He also added the following advice for |
| That may come as a surprise to those of us who | | | | would-be wine fanciers. "You don't have to spend |
| have been intimidated into believing that the only | | | | a lot to find excellent quality wines. If you find |
| true quality wines come with corks and high price | | | | something that you like, make a note. You can go |
| tags. | | | | into a store and tell someone there that you liked |
| Said Rich to that: "I like wine to be fun. It should | | | | 'this brand' and they'll steer you to other similar |
| be fun. Too many people try to snob it up and | | | | wines for you to try." |
| break down the flavors so far that it's not fun | | | | Final analysis? Good food and wine that's fun are |
| anymore. I advise people to find something they | | | | the cornerstone of a great summer barbecue. |
| like and enjoy it. I like to steer people to the less | | | | Skip the fancy labels, vintages and price tags and |
| expensive wines that are excellent quality." | | | | pick out a wine that you like. Who cares what the |
| So what does Rich recommend to go with the | | | | noses think as long as your nose is tickled pink? |
| food at a summer barbecue? | | | | |