By Tom Marquardt and Patrick Darr

As temperatures warm, many of us favor white wine. It’s hard to find a substitute on a nice day on the patio or on the boat. White wine can be chilled, which is the perfect foil for warm temperatures.

Chardonnay is the most widely planted grape variety in the world, so it isn’t a surprise that it’s also the most popular white wine in the United States. Sauvignon blanc is growing in popularity, but maybe this is the year to find something new. We know most of the grapes of California, but European wine growing regions offer unique varieties you may not have heard about. Take, for instance, grillo, marsanne and gruner veltliner.

Although these grapes don’t have the cache of chardonnay, they are equally good companions to most summer foods. We also have found them to be better aperitifs than chardonnay because they generally don’t see any oak. As you stock your refrigerators with your usual plonk this summer, a whole world of wine awaits you. Here are a dozen unique wines to get you on a new path:

Lucy Pico Blanco 2021 ($24). This among our favorite new wines this year. Although Monterey County hosts some of the greatest plantings of pinot gris, not much of it finds its way to local markets.

To read more, pick up a copy of the May/June issue of LiveIt Magazine. To subscribe call 940-872-5922.

By Tom Marquardt and Patrick Darr

When it comes to blending grape varieties, no place is better known than Bordeaux. The five red varieties used here to make some of the most famous wines are called “noble” for historic reasons, but blending takes a far more interesting turn in southern Rhone Valley where producers have more varieties from which to craft their delicious wines.

While northern Rhone Valley is dominated by syrah because it grows best in its cooler temperatures, southern Rhone Valley’s Mediterranean climate means milder winters and warmer summers – conditions needed for varieties such as grenache. Although the wines from this region may not be as complex and full-bodied as their northern cousins, they represent better values and are far less pretentious. In recent years we have turned to the recognized appellations of southern Rhone for unabashed, unadulterated fun.

The most well-known AOC here is Chateauneuf du Pape, but the other appellations have gained more attention in the last two decades as their quality has improved. As many as 18 grape varieties are permitted in Chateauneuf du Pape; fewer varieties are allowed in other AOCs.

To read more, pick up a copy of the March/April issue of LiveIt Magazine. To subscribe call 940-872-5922.

Ingredients:
For Buns
½ cup warmed milk
2 ¼ tsp active dry yeast
2 ½ cups sifted all-purpose flour
¼ tsp salt
3 large eggs, room temperature
½ cup unsalted butter, room temp.
1 tbsp orange zest
½ cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
*Additionally:
¼ cup Bacardi rum or hot water
¼ cup orange cranberries, dried
¼ cup blueberries, dried
¼ cup white chocolate chips
Sugar glaze:
1 egg white
1 tsp lemon juice
1 cup powdered sugar
Egg wash:
1 egg yolk
1 tbsp water
Hot Cross mix:
¼ tsp ground cloves
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp ground cinnamon
Directions:

1. To begin making the Hot Cross bun dough, dissolve 2 ¼ tsp of yeast and ½ tablespoon of sugar in a ½ cup of warm milk.
2. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes. If the mixture does not increase in size and foam up, throw it away and try again.

To read more, pick up a copy of the March/April issue of LiveIt Magazine. To subscribe call 940-872-5922.