Wine for summer BBQ

Light, crisp, easy drinking, white wine is not the only wine you should or could be drinking in the summer months.  During this time of year most of us will be breaking out the grill and barbecuing some hardier fare.  With this type of outdoor experience a hardy red will be the most appropriate spirit to wash down these robust flavors.  This week I will suggest a delicious Malbec from Argentina.

Catena Malbec from the Mendoza region is a red wine that can stand up to the spicy, grilled flavors that most of us think when we are barbecuing.   A big red that packs a punch up front this Malbec has a rich nose with hints of spice and cherry.  It finishes well with plum and raisons without too much tannin.  You will need all of this flavor to complement grilled steak, smoked pork, or jerked chicken.

Malbec varietal- Originally grown in the Bordeaux region of France as a blending grape this varietal has taken on new life in Washington and California but has really come to prosperity in South America.  Unlike Washington, California, and France, Argentina does not blend Malbed with other varietals but lets it stand on its own.

Argentinian wine- Argentina has been producing wine for more than 500 years.  With a large Italian immigration that brought its wine making skills. However, even with this long history, the wine industry in this country really, too many, has a bit of catching up to do.  With this statement, Argentinian wine, Malbec in particular, has been slowly climbing up the ranks in the world market.

Where to find in Seattle?

Metropolitan Markets-http://metropolitan-market.com/home.php?

QFC-http://www.qfc.com/Pages/default.aspx

What to eat with? 

Grilled meats, smoked meats, heavily spiced meat, meat in general.