1 Scott Turnbull, beverage director and
sommelier at Solage Calistoga
WHAT Country Line Pinot Noir
Rose, County Line, Anderson Valley,
Mendocino
WHY Bright and crisp, too easy to drink,
and perfect with oysters.
WHAT Heitz Grignolino, St. Helena, Napa
WHY High in acid with bright cherry
notes, it can also be served with a
slight chill to it, refreshing in the heat
of summer.
2 Chris Solle, owner of Solle Wines
WHAT Solle Wines “Sexy Rexy”
Sauvignon Blanc, Russian River Valley
WHY A $25 gem — the previous vintage
won gold in the more than $30 category of
the Sonoma Coast Wine Challenge.
WHAT Lioco Chardonnay,
Sonoma County
WHY This is my go-to chard every time
I dine at El Paseo. Great pure fruit and
neutral oak; think apples and stone fruits,
nice tension, layered and elegant.
3 Scot Wagner, owner of Stash Wines
in Sausalito
WHAT Blue Plate, Chenin Blanc,
California 2012
WHY Incredibly refreshing and dry,
this wine gives off mouthwatering aromas of passion fruit and cantaloupe.
With low alcohol ( 12 percent), this is
the perfect wine to sip all afternoon.
WHAT Mark Herold Wines, Acha
white wine, California 2013
WHY This killer wine is 100 percent
albariño. It’s not trying to trick you into
thinking it’s anything else but lean, dry
and delicious.
4 Susan Pey, winegrower and co-owner at
Pey-Marin Vineyards
WHAT Pey-Marin Riesling,
Marin County
WHY It is bone-dry, racy, crisp and delicious and the grapes are grown in West
Marin. It is perfect with oysters and
handmade cheeses from West Marin.
WHAT A to Z Pinot Gris, Oregon
WHY Bright, fresh, medium-bodied
and a crowd pleaser — great with
Dungeness crab, salads and fresh
local fare.
5 Richard Leland, owner at Vintage
Wine & Spirits
WHAT 2012 Arbe Garbe White Wine
WH Y This is a delightful blend of malvasia bianca
and pinot grigio with a just a dollop of gewürztra-miner, which adds a spicy note and makes it the
perfect summer white.
WHAT 2011 Bouzeron
WH Y From the owners of the Domaine de la
Romanée-Conti, a crisp, dry and minerally white wine
made from the “other” white grape of the Burgundy
region: Aligote.
NAPA TAKES ON
BORDEAUX Planning
a trip to another famous wine region this
season? Napa’s finest
winemakers give their
best tips for traveling
through Bordeaux. S. T.
WHERE TO STAY Chateau
de Viaud; we felt like royalty staying there. — Danielle
Cyrot, winemaker at CADE
WHERE TO EAT In the
village at Lynch-Bages,
the Café Lavinal. — Cherie
Melka, coproprietor of
Melka Wines
WHAT TO DRINK On the
Left Bank, Ducru Beaucail-lou and Palmer; on the
Right Bank, Vieux Chateau
Certan and La Conseil-lante. — Austin Peterson,
winemaker at Ovid
Sizzling Summer Wines
Local wine experts want you to enjoy the warmer temperatures in style.
Here, five of them give their top picks. S. T.
