Santa Ynez Valley

Summer Wines: Rosé from Provence, Rioja & Santa Ynez

by liz · Jul 1, 2016

My favorite summer wine is rosé. Its lovely pink hue and delicate flavor win me over at almost every meal, as it flirts with me from the bottle; I just can’t’ say no to it. It’s as refreshing as a crisp white on a hot day, but slightly big enough with a few tannins and flavors from the red grape skins to complement grilled meats, heavy meats, grilled vegetables and summer desserts. Rosé will pair up with almost anything, making it the summer wench of wine.

My favorite rosés are those that are light in color and alcohol, but medium to high in acidity. Rosés from Provence are the originals, and could easily be called the best. Triennes rosé is a favorite of mine, made from Cinsault blended with Grenache, Syrah and Merlot. It’s light yet flavorful and is the perfect accompaniment to a summer dinner.

Another rosé I love is from Bodegas Muga in Rioja. This one is a darker pink color; a rosy-cheeked minx, with a heavier flavor that can stand up to meats and cheese, but still having that bright kick of acidity.

And finally, a California rosé I love is from Verdad Wines in the Sana Ynez Valley of Santa Barbara county. Louisa Lindquist makes this European style rose from the Garnacha grape of Spain, with an alcohol level of 11%. It rivals these French rosés in all the things I love about rosé wines, with the bonus that I can buy locally! My local harlot…

Try finding one of these rosés, and pair it with your favorite summer meals. You’ll see that even though she gets around; she really is the best companion on a summer evening.

Legend Lamb Roast with Winemaker Ernst Storm

by liz · Apr 10, 2010

Ernst's Lamb on the Grill — Ernst’s Lamb on the Grill

When wine maker Ernst Storm told me he was slaughtering, butchering and grilling a lamb himself in Santa Ynez wine country to feed all his friends for his birthday, I was in. This would be amazing.

“It’ll be legend,” Ernst told me.

I made sure to arrive right on time, knowing I’d be among the first, so I could see the meat grilling up close. The guys had brought a big industrial barbecue grill, the kind with big wheels you crank to move the meat closer or further from the fire. On it were shining smoking piles of meat: whole chickens, beef tri-tip and lamb leg, loin and shoulder.

“Wow!” I said, eyes wide.

“Legend,” Ernst admitted in his lilting Cape Town accent, nodding soberly.

Legend Lamb Roast Table — Lamb Roast Table

Ernst humbly offered us glasses of his Storm Wines. As friends arrived, they brought bottles of wine from Curtis Winery in Foxen Canyon and Coquelicot Wines in Los Olivos, as well as perfect loaves of sourdough bread, organic vegetables and salads galore. Two guys drove up from LA to bring the best Burrata in the city – served over a bed of roasted cauliflower, broccoli and radicchio with marinated currants – and Paul’s BBQ Sauce, made by the perpetrator himself in his own garage in Venice. For dessert; huge locally-grown strawberries, bursting with flavor I only remember as a child.

Sitting down to the long table in the garden to that meal and collection of wines was one of the best experiences of the season. It felt a bit like the Last Supper painting, but with a Santa Ynez Valley vineyard backdrop. Which decidedly made Paul, by location, the King – of BBQ sauce. Indeed if Jesus made BBQ sauce, it would be this. And the meat/wine/company was legend.