What goes great with food hot off the grill? Refreshing wines made with hints of seasonal fruit. Flavor up your next backyard soirée or just chill out on a summer evening with these selects from The Wine Thief.
1787 St. Clair Ave., St. Paul, 651-698-9463, winethief.net
Domaine Gayda
Rosé 2014 (Languedoc, France) $11.99
Cinsault
This rosé tastes just like summer. It has a relaxing flowery nose with strawberry and tart raspberry fruit. Rosés are red wines typically made dry, fermenting with grape skins for a much shorter time, called short vatting. Domaine Gayda is clean with a slight mineral component to the finish. It’s beautiful for an after-work beverage or with salmon just off the grill. You bring the wine and often someone else will do the cooking!
Paolo Scavino
Vino Rosso 2013 (Piedmont, Italy) $14.99
Barbera, dolcetto, and nebbiolo with 10 percent merlot
A blend of the greatest grapes of Piedmont, this wine is just asking for that perfect burger off the barbecue. And when I say perfect, I mean my perfect: medium-rare with sautéed onions, gorgonzola cheese, a touch of ketchup, and mayo. Maybe that’s pushing it, but this is a complex, well-made wine that pleasantly surprised me at this price point. It has a nice soft fruit, some tart cherry, nutmeg, cedar, and a hint of earthy undertone. And so affordable, you can buy two.
