AUSTIN, Texas (May 27, 2010) — Whole Foods Market celebrates sunshine, slow afternoons and paella suppers on the beach with its popular “Top Ten Summer Wines” that include an effervescent Vinho Verde that tickles the tongue, an aromatic Albarino with a summertime crush on Manchego cheese, and a racy Tempranillo that loves backyard barbecues. These easy-going wines are also great values, starting at $7.99 with most in the $9.99 to $11.99 range.
“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. “These can’t-go-wrong wines also sport prices that won’t make you sweat.”
This summer, throughout Whole Foods Market’s stores and its website (wholefoodsmarket.com/wine), shoppers can find perfectly paired wine and cheese selections as well as recipes for summertime meals to enjoy with its Top Ten Summer Wines.
Here is the Whole Foods Market Top Ten Summer Wines lineup, with suggested cheese and recipe pairings:
PRESTO BRUT ROSÉ (Italy) • A rosy Italian sparkler • Berry, strawberry and watermelon notes • Ideal for brunch, dessert Recipe pairing: Cherry Clafouti 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 Recipe pairing: Chicken, Corn and Roasted Pepper Quesadillas 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 Recipe pairing: Tropical Scallop and Mango Ceviche 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 Recipe pairing: Pad Thai Tofu 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 Recipe pairing: Summer Chicken and Vegetable Soup 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 Recipe pairing: Seafood Paella with Crab and Sugar Snap Peas 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 Recipe pairing: Grilled Fish Tacos with Chipotle Ranch 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 Recipe pairing: Stuffed Burgers with Gorgonzola and Smoky Bacon 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 Recipe pairing: Fusilli Pasta with Roasted Tomatoes and “Hidden” Zucchini 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 Recipe pairing: Portobello Mushroom Club 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 Recipe pairing: Grilled Caribbean Pork Tenderloin 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 Recipe pairing: Barbecued Chicken Cheese pairing: Buttermilk Blue – an impossibly creamy blue, made from the raw milk of predominantly Jersey cows “Three of our summer wine favorites are made with organically-grown grapes,” said Bell. “We always look for exceptional wines to share with our shoppers, and it’s a plus to find winemakers that advocate sustainable production practices.”
For more information, visit wholefoodsmarket.com/wine.
