It’s Grill Time
Memorial Weekend is always the marker for the start of grill season…
Portobello Mushrooms
Rich, moist, earthy. Pictured is a recipe for one heck of a Portobello Mushroom Burger! Re: wine, don't go too tannic with the red. Try: Sangiovese or Pinot Noir. White? Chablis (or any white Burgundy) or Arneis (from Peidmont) would both be great. Standbys: bubbly and rosé go great with everything!
Recommended:
Mont Mès Pinot Nero (Alto Adige, Italy) -- $22.99 | Mixed Case $18.39 -- A mix between Burgundy and Oregon. *Note: we're at the tail-end of this wine, so be fast if interested. New vintage will arrive in fall.
Walla Walla Vintners 2016 Sangiovese (Columbia Valley, WA) -- $23.99 | Mixed Case $19.19 -- Winemaker says: wild berries, forest floor, woody herbs, layers cranberry, white pepper, red currant, and licorice atop a frame of polished tannins and vibrant acidity. *Note: estate Sangiovese pictured above
Domaine Talmard 2018 Macon-Villages (Burgundy, France) -- $17.99 | Mixed Case $14.39 -- Classic white Burgundy without the classic price. Absolutely terrific everyday unoaked Chardonnay.
Guido Vada Wine 2018 Ansem Langhe Arneis (Piedmont, France) -- $19.99 | Mixed Case $15.99 -- Apples & citrus with a very soft minerality and a tiny touch of almond.
Bratwurst & Sausages
Rich, seasoned pork with acidic sides (cole slaw, etc). Try a nice, fresh, zingy Sauvignon Blanc or Grüner Veltliner to cut through the richness. Cava would be great, too. Red? Barbera (from Piedmont) is made for the meal. The acidity in Gamay would pair nicely, too. Rosé across the board — perfect!
Recommended:
Cava Reyes de Aragon El Monje Brut Nature (Aragon, Spain) — Reg $18.99 | Mixed Case $15.19 — Toasted bread, tropical fruit, touches of almond and coconut. Good acidity. Full on the mouth with a lot of body. Citrus with pink grapefruit and tropical fruit.
Stadt Krems 2017 Grüner Veltliner (Kremstal, Austria) — Reg $19.99 | Mixed Case $15.99 — Easy-drinking, lemon-lime with a note of gooseberry. Pleasant white peppery finish.
Wachtstetter 2015 Pinot Noir (Württemberg, Germany) — Reg $23.99 | Mixed Case $19.19 — Lighter in body, but full of red berries and tart black cherry flavors. Silky. Note of minerality.
Grilled Salmon
Seattle’s signature dish! Oily, rich, tender, fresh fishy goodness! Great with fennel, goat cheese, dill, harissa, roasted potatoes, asparagus, green beans, garlic, citrus, coconut. You name it. There’s a delicious recipe out there to enjoy this local fish. That said, your wine choices are varied, too, depending on your sides/herbs/spices. General guidance is lighter reds with less oak & lower tannins (Pinot Noir, Barbera, Grenache (pictured)… and fun lesser-known varietals such as Schiava/Vernatsch & Pais) and fuller-bodied whites to balance the richness of the fish (unoaked or lightly-oaked Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Roussanne, Pinot Gris…and little-known treasures such as Torbato). Rosé & sparkling wines across the board are good. (Are you starting to see a trend line with bubbles & rosé?)
Recommended:
Dopff & Irion NV Crémant d'Alsace Rosé (Alsace, France) — $23.99 | Mixed Case $19.19 — From the winery: “Brilliant, salmon-pink… red and black berries, wild strawberries, red currant, fresh thyme, discreet roasted notes, brioche and tarragon.”
A.A. Badenhorst 2018 Secateurs Chenin Blanc (Swartland, South Africa) — Reg $18.99 | Mixed Case $15.19 — Everything about this wine is soft, round & pleasant. “The aromas are flinty with honey, orange blossom and white stone fruit notes.” —winery’s tasting notes
Blue Mountain 2015 Pinot Noir (Okanagan Valley, Canada) — $31.99 ? Mixed Case $25.59 — Delicious Burgundy-style Pinot with just a tad more fruit.
Grilled Steaks
Steaks tend to be richer (and yes fattier). This is where your tannins offset for a match made in heaven. Try: a Left-Bank Bordeaux (our Bergerac Rouge would be a stellar match, too) or a Washington Cab if you like a little more oak. Champagne (or any other dry sparkling wine) would manage with richness well, too.
Recommended:
Michel Turgy Réserve Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Brut (Champagne, France) — Reg $66.99 | Mixed Case $53.59 — Celebrating something fun? Let’s go big!! “Aromas of gardenia, honeysuckle, brioche. Flavors of lemon curd, sea salt, toast. Fine-grained and savory” —winemaker’s notes
Château des Eyssards 2016 Cuvée Prestige Rouge (Bergerac, France) — Reg $19.99 | Mixed Case $15.99 — Fragrant red berry fruits with deeper notes of plum & black cherry, a hint of cedar & dried herbs. Well-balanced, with firm tannins on its velvety body. This Merlot/Cab Franc blend kills it! Especially with steak.
DeLille 2017 Doyenne (Yakima Valley, Washington) — Reg $51.99 | Mixed Case $41.59 — A blend of 60% Syrah, 40% Cab. “Blue and red fruit flavors with blueberries, red licorice, and raspberries…. beautifully integrated and surprisingly accessible in its youth…” —winemaker’s notes.
Grilled Chicken
Chicken -- assuming thighs if grilling. Try our new Côtes du Rhône white blend or any rosé. Take your pick. Red? Cab Franc from anywhere — WA State (more medium-bodied versions), Catalunya (outside of Barcelona), Loire Valley or Friuli (northeastern Italy on the border to Slovenia) would be a delight!
Recommended:
Château Mourgues du Grès 2019 Costières de Nîmes Rosé (Southern Rhône, France) — Reg $15.99 | Mixed Case $12.79 — Syrah, Mourvèdre, Genache. Wild strawberry, raspberry, redcurrant, citrus mint. Grilled chicken all the way!
Vignobles des Doms 2019 Côtes du Rhône Blanc (Southern Rhône, France) — Reg $14.99 | Mixed Case $11.99 — Grenache, Viognier, Roussanne. A littler fuller-bodied than our beloved Ozilhan Réservé. Floral fragrances and lime flower on the nose. Round and fleshy in the mouth, nice acidity. Well balanced with warm summer apples.
Antoine de La Farge 2018 Menetou-Salon Première Lune (Loire Valley, France) — Reg $28.99 | Mixed Case $23.19 — Candied lemon aromas, white blossom, grapefruits with a hint minerality. Photo above is at Antoine’s family estate Domaine L’Ermitage in Menetou-Salon.
Zorzon 2017 Collio Cabernet Franc (Friuli, Italy) — Reg $23.99 | Mixed Case $19.19 — Cherries, red berries. Lighter in body with a depth of red fruit flavors. Soft dirt. Faint note of crushed gravel. Tiny hint of green pepper.
Burgers
All-American and at the same time with a million variations! The one pictured is a buffalo burger. The main thing we’re looking for in a wine pairing is everyday and easy-drinking. Also needs to be flexible with a bunch of side salads. Easy: Nice, juicy Sangiovese, yum. Spanish Garnacha would rock. Anything from the Southern Rhône, yes. Again, the key is everyday and easy-drinking. And don’t forget the bubbly & rosé. Or beer for that matter!
Recommended:
Cuvée Jean Paul 2019 Rosé (Gascogne, France) — Reg $12.99 | Mixed Case $10.39 — So the fun thing about this wine is the blend: Merlot (55%), Tannat (15%), Cab Franc (15%), Cab Sauv (15%)... with the fun part being the Tannat, an unctuous, mouth-coaty, DRY red grape seldom seen in rosé (in our parts anyway). This wine is pleasantly fruity with notes of crushed red berries yet still dry with good balancing acidity. Super pleasant.
Le Petit Berticot 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon (Atlantique, France) — Reg $12.99 | Mixed Case $10.39 — Macerated red cherries, blueberries with a little note of spice. Soft tannins. Easy.
BBQ
In Europe, anything off the grill is called BBQ (as pictured above: traditional grilled lamb chops shared with us from our friends at Bodegas Zuazo Gaston in Rioja). This version of BBQ is a wine home run. In the US, BBQ is smoked meats often coated in a thick, rich, spicy, salty-sweet sauce. This rendition is NOT a wine home run. In fact, it’s often a foul ball. Here is your tip: Zinfandel or a rich, full-bodied Washington Syrah. Most other reds will go tart on you. Of course our handy rosé holds its own perfectly (and cools you down a bit, too). Sparkling wines, too. Highly acidic whites will also taste good: Grüner Veltliner & Sauvignon Blanc, for example.
Recommended:
Bodegas Maset Cava (NU) Reserva (Penedès, Spain) — Reg $15.99 | INSIDER $14.99 | Mixed Case $11.99 — Soft citrus fruit. Delicate bubbles. Dusty, dry finish. (Harvest pictured.)
Tranche 2019 Pink Pape Rosé (Yakima Valley, Washington) — Reg $21.99 | Mixed Case $17.59 — Grenache, Cinsault and Counoise. The winery says: rose petal, white peach, orange blossom, pink grapefruit and lemon peel.
Four Vines 2017 The Biker Zinfandel (Paso Robles, California) — Reg $22.99 | Mixed Case $18.39 — “Dark berry and spicy notes aromas lead to a palate rich with jammy, ripe plum and blackberry flavors bolstered by a touch of black pepper and sweet, toasted oak. …plush mouthfeel and a long, velvety finish.” —winemaker’s notes. Crazy-good with American-style BBQ!
If you'd like to order wine during the shutdown, call (206) 783-2007 or email info@portaliswines.com for pickup or delivery.