Ah, summer 'neath the grape vines. Tonight we're rocking' Grenache, whether it be new world, old world, flamingo pink or garnet red. While we set out to ruminate on wine, our minds were rightfully distracted by nibbles---kick-ass cheeses, spicy cured meats, gorgeous leg of lamb with chimichuri... Over brilliant bottles from Chateauneuf du Pape, Priorat, California's central coast*, and Oregon's Rogue Valley, we chatted about everything from forthcoming travels to local eateries and approaching summer happenings.
Can't get my mind off vacation! Some of us, myself included, are saving pennies for a rosé sipping, brie-filled tryst in Provence, but when Heather announced she's booked a trip to Malta, I'm thinking what, exactly, do the Maltese drink? Apparently there are just 5 wineries on the tiny Mediterranean island, dedicated mostly to one red and one white local grape---Gellewza & Ghirgentina. Okay, I'll admit I've never even heard of these varieties, but man, dry some Gellewza in the hot Maltese sun for a sweet, Amarone-style elixir and I'm sure we're talking molto delizioso!
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*The Clos de Gilroy by Bonny Doon Vineyard is an homage to not only my place of birth, but to my most beloved writer, Marcel Proust. The label reads cleverly: "For a long time I went to bed aïoli, cloved in nothing but the barest essential oils. The wine... pays homage to the quaint, rustic town of Gilroy, the spiritual locus of all matters alliaceous."
