This is reward season for vegetable gardeners. Those lucky enough to own a patch of sun-lit dirt and a green thumb have begun reaping what they’ve sown. Where I live kale is winning cocktail-party consensus as the top performer for 2011 so far. It’s a good year to be a headless cabbage in southern Ontario, as my small but thriving kale patch will attest. I wish I could say the same for the rapini. Mine were visited upon by some very happy bugs. Italian bugs, I imagine. Ditto for the arugula, but that’s an old story; it’s the Swiss cheese of leafy greens. This year I took the precaution to plant enough for me as well as the bugs, so I’m happy. It will be tomato time before long, a welcome relief from the store-bought cardboard coasters we slice onto our burgers all winter long.
Pair some of that freshness with a sunny day and a grilled rib, steak or chop and life doesn’t get better. Sorry, did I just write that? It does get better. It gets better with wine. Or, if you’re so inclined, with beer or a bloody Caesar. The wines below follow one of two themes: lean whites and fat reds. They capture, I think, most people’s preferences when dining al fresco. It may sound weird, but sometimes I like to have two glasses going at the same time, one from each category. A forkful of arugula, a sip of verdejo; a bite of back ribs, a slurp of shiraz. It’s the Good Life, only better.
Château St. Jean Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 (California)
SCORE: 92 PRICE: $34.95
Chunky and brimming with pure cassis-like flavour, this red dishes up plum and chocolate, with a hint of mineral and lots of dry, under-the-gums astringency owing to considerable tannins. Perfect for medium-rare steak.
Two Hands Sexy Beast Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 (Australia)
SCORE: 91 PRICE: $27.95
I imagine this would appeal to novelty seekers for its curious name and depiction of lovers kissing, but there’s fine liquid in the bottle. Rich and juicy, it piles on the cracked pepper, with concentrated fruit and fine, chewy tannins.
Small Gully The Formula Robert’s Shiraz 2006 (Australia)
SCORE: 90 PRICE: $18.95
When I reviewed a prior vintage of this wine, the alcohol content was a jaw-dropping (or should that be drooping?) 16.7 per cent. The 2006 is relatively tame, at 15.9 per cent. But it’s well hidden behind the big fruit and chocolate flavours. And the ripeness steers clear of raisin territory. I also like the earthy-tobacco nuance.
Quails’ Gate Merlot 2007 (British Columbia)
SCORE: 90 PRICE: $24.95
Mouth-filling yet dry and lively, with a creamy texture, succulent fruit and mineral-like tension, here’s an excellent and elegant red from the Okanagan Valley. Though it’s not cheap, it represents very good value.
Bodegas Shaya Verdejo 2009 (Spain)
SCORE: 90 PRICE: $17.95
Featuring crisp peach and a chalky tingle, here’s a white to get the palate juices flowing. Tart and lively, it offers good depth of flavour owing to a brief period of contact with yeast following barrel fermentation.
Tabali Reserva Especial Syrah 2008 (Chile)
SCORE: 89 PRICE: $19.95
Very ripe and filling, Tabali’s reserva delivers good concentration, with a dominant taste of dark chocolate, smoky plum and earth, with integrated tannins and a hint of prune on the finish.
Trius White 2010 (Ontario)
SCORE: 89 PRICE: $19.95
Not quite lean, it gets the patio-white nod for its floral, aromatic quality and lychee-like fruit. I like the mineral and spice notes, too.
Mission Hill Five Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc 2010 (British Columbia)
SCORE: 88 PRICE: $13.99 in British Columbia
More fruity than herbal, this lively white is almost effervescent, tickling the tongue with lime, nectarine and passion fruit.
Vinea Garganega 2009 (Italy)
SCORE: 87 PRICE: $12.95
Garganega is the white Soave grape. You’re getting quality at a discount here because it doesn’t come with the Soave appellation on the label. The texture is polished, yielding up sweet pear, flowers, honey and a note of spiced tea.
Grand Gaillard Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (France)
SCORE: 86 PRICE: $11.95
Lean is the word. Clean, crisp and racy with acidity, this southwest white from the Bergerac district has a slightly chalky texture and lemonade-like flavour. It’s a good choice for salads or even oysters.
