In honor of summer 2010 the wine and cheese experts at Whole Foods Market are sharing their Top 10 picks for the ideal summer wines, along with cheese pairings for each, special pricing on both, and Top 10 Wine & Cheese Tastings at select stores. The easy-going wines, including an effervescent Vinho Verde, aromatic Albarino and racy Tempranillo, are great values at $7.99-$11.99 ($1-$6 below normal). Prices for the suggested cheeses to accompany each wine are also reduced from $1-$4 ($7.99-$18.99 per lb), making a summertime wine and cheese party affordable and fun. The Top Ten Wines, along with their cheese and recipe parings are detailed below, but those who need more of a hands-on experience are in luck, as seven of the 16 Florida stores are hosting summer wine and cheese tastings. Details follow:
Naples Thursday, June 17, 6pm-8pm
$10 per person Sample five of the Top 10 wines with paired cheeses Reservations: (239) 552-5100 www.acteva.com/go/lifestylecenter.
Plantation Friday, June 25, 7pm-8pm
$10 per person Top Ten Summer Wines and cheese pairing Reservations: Customer Service 954-236-0600
Winter Park Friday, June 25, 6:30pm–8:30 pm
$5 per person Sample the Top 10 Summer Wines & Cheeses Additional Info: 407-673-8788
Palm Beach Gardens Sunday, June 27, 2pm-4pm
FREE Top 10 Summer Wine & Cheese Tasting
Reservations: www.acteva.com/stores/palmbeachgardens
Fort Lauderdale Wednesday, June 30, 6pm
$10 per person Sample all the Top 10 wines and paired cheeses.
Reservations: (954) 565-5655
Coral Springs Thursday, July 8, 6pm-8pm
$10 per person Top Ten Summer Wines and cheese pairing Reservations: Customer Service 954-753-8000
Wellington Friday, July 23, 6pm-8pm
Free Top Ten Wine Tasting Reservations: Customer Service 561.904.4000
“We carefully select our Top Ten Summer Wines to make it easy for shoppers to find just the right bottle to take to cookouts, beach parties and backyard gatherings,” said Doug Bell, global wine buyer for Whole Foods Market. “Three of our summer wine favorites are made with organically-grown grapes. We always look for exceptional wines to share with our shoppers, and it’s a plus to find winemakers that advocate sustainable production practices”
The Whole Foods Market Top Ten Summer Wines lineup, with suggested cheese pairings, follows:
PRESTO BRUT ROSÉ (Italy)
• A rosy Italian sparkler
• Berry, strawberry and watermelon notes
• Ideal for brunch, dessert
• Cheese pairing: Capricho de Cabra – a Spanish goat cheese with a gentle sweetness and creamy texture
SOKOL BLOSSER EVOLUTION WHITE BLEND (Oregon)
• Floral aroma and tropical flavor in a juicy, off-dry Chardonnay alternative
• Blend of nine grapes, including Pinot Gris and Gewürztraminer
• Shines with Mexican or Caribbean food or cheese
• Cheese pairing: Epoisses – a deliciously runny French cheese with distinct aroma and mild salty flavor
OPALA VINHO VERDE (Portugal)
• Fresh, juicy and easy to throw back
• Citrusy Portuguese tongue tingler
• Enjoy alone or with ceviche, shrimp cocktail or grilled salmon
• Cheese pairing: Robiola – a buttery, Italian soft-ripened cheese made from both cows’ and sheeps’ milk
PLOW AND STARS RIESLING (Washington)
Made with Organically Grown Grapes
• First-release orange blossom and honeysuckle gem
• A hint of sweetness and good acidity
• Match with spicy Thai food
• Cheese pairing: Humboldt Fog – a distinctive, soft-ripened aged goat cheese with subtle tanginess
PISATO PINOT GRIGIO (Italy)
Made with Organically Grown Grapes
• Grapes from 90-year-old vines in Italy’s Veneto region
• Balanced, with lemon zest and green melon notes and a touch of minerality
• Pair the floral aroma with poultry, fish
• Cheese pairing: SarVecchio – this Wisconsin favorite, hand-selected and aged for at least 20 months, has a crumbly texture and nutty, slightly sweet flavor
PAZO DE SERANTELLOS ALBARINO (Spain)
• Expansive flavor and intense aroma in an affordable Spanish white
• Apricot and blood orange notes
• Ideal with Spanish favorites like paella
• Cheese pairing: Manchego – sheep’s milk brings a touch of sweetness to this traditional, piquant Spanish cheese, which becomes firmer and sharper over time
GREEN TRUCK CHARDONNAY (California)
Made with Organically Grown Grapes
•Medium-bodied, with ripe citrus, green apple and peach flavor
• Biodegradable corks and recycled paper labels
• Drink with cookout favorites like fish tacos and fried chicken
• Cheese pairing: Kilaree Cheddar – hand selected for Whole Foods Market and aged 15 months, this rich, creamy “Cheddar nirvana”
VALDEMAR TEMPRANILLO (Spain)
• A crowd-pleasing Tempranillo with a modern twist
• Elegant, racy red with ripe cherry flavor and blackberries and currants on the nose
• Pour with backyard classics, from fajitas to burgers
• Cheese pairing: Gran Queso – a Wisconsin original cured for six to nine months, hand-rubbed with delectable spices, offering buttery, complex flavor
MALENCHINI RED LABEL CHIANTI (Italy)
• The inaugural vintage for this rustic, Italian red
• Flavors and aromas of stewed fruit and cherry pie
• Mouth-watering with summer pastas
• Cheese pairing: Parmigiano Reggiano – aged 24 months, hand-selected from single source farms and made with spring and fall milk, creating complex flavor and a nutty caramel finish
CONCANNON “CONSERVANCY” PETITE SIRAH (California)
• A must-have for grilled feasts
• Plummy, blackberry red with hints of white pepper
• Serve with blackened fish, heavily peppered steaks
• Cheese pairing: Reserve Gouda – smooth and a bit spicy, this Dutch cheese is aged 18 months, giving it a hint of nuttiness
BLOCK NO. 45 PINOT NOIR (California)
• Full-bodied and balanced
• Savor its oaky vanilla and dried cherry notes
• Sip with turkey burgers, pasta
• Cheese pairing: Amadeus – a semi-soft, creamy, mellow-flavored cow’s milk cheese from rural Austrian alpine pastures
ROSENBLUM ZINFANDEL VINTNER’S CUVEE XXXI (California)
• Pop open this classic Zinfandel at any summer barbecue
• Hints of raspberry make it supple and easy to drink
• Drink when you chow down on saucy barbecue, pizza
• Cheese pairing: Buttermilk Blue – an impossibly creamy blue, made from the raw milk of predominantly Jersey cows
