It’s Memorial Day weekend, the unofficial start of summer. It’s light until after 8 now, and the patio beckons. A wine you’ll always want to have on hand when it’s time for food off the grill is a light and lovely red with bright fruit notes, but plenty of juicy acidity. It’s a red that’s tasty when chilled, too. What is it? Gamay Noir and/or Pinot Noir. Beautiful Gamays are from Beaujolais in France (though Whitecliff Winery in Gardiner makes a delicious Gamay Noir!), and Pinot Noirs hail from around the world. My choices for this weekend? The Beaujolais-Village from Louis Jadot. There’s a reason this winemaker can have the slogan “J’adore Jadot” – they’ve been at it a long time and they are persnickity about quality. The wine has beautiful notes of fresh strawberry on the nose and some spice on the finish. It pairs well with everything. As for a Pinot Noir? My palate leans Wilamette Valley. I’m a sucker for Erath. How can you resist this: “There is a place in Oregon wine country where EARTH and HEART intersect. It is called ERATH.” Their Pinots are highly rated and celebrated worldwide. One sip and you’ll understand why. For some extra-special enjoyment, do a blind tasting of the Jadot and the Erath together and take your senses on a deep-dive of their many layers. Happy Summer!
