So we prefer reds, but sometimes the food pairings or weather call for a white.  This month we stumbled along a Riesling from the Wallula vineyard atop the Columbia River in Washing ton State.  This Pacific Rim Riesling tastes dry and contains pineapple and apricot flavors that pairs well with salads and seafood.  Also, we have to give a thumbs up to the winery for adhering to the strictest Demeter Certified Biodynamic® farming and viticulture standards.

This month’s wine is the chardonnay from Lincourt Winery in Santa Barbara County.  Lincourt has been turning out exceptional wines for a long time and has another label called Foley.  Lincourt is actually the combined names of the wine maker’s daughters.  The chardonnay has some strong fruit flavors but definitely not sweet.  Try this wine with salads, chicken, or fish and with sauces containing spiciness, pesto, or vinaigrette.  Delicious for a price around $12.99.

With the weather getting better, barbecue season is right around the corner.  You gotta love the smell of grilling anything from veggies to fish to meat.  And nothing accompanies grilled food and the spice like a big zinfandel.  This month our wine selection is the old world style Sausal Winery’s Family Zinfandel.  While not overly fruity, this zin is able to stand up to spicy marinades as well as simply grilled meats.  If you are into the bigger more robust reds, try the Family Reserve Zinfandel.  Reasonably priced and easy to get in many places since it is a partner vineyard with Beverages & More.

Since April generally has decent weather and us So Cal folks love to be outside, this month we are making the versatile 2008 Redtree Pinot Noir the wine of the month (88 pts. Wine Spectator).  First off, it is very simple and fruity with cherry and raspberry flavors.  This wine will be better if decanted well before serving and has often tasted wonderful a day later after being re-corked.  According to the wine lady Katy, this might be due to the high alcohol and tannin content.  Second, it is an absolute steal at $7.99/bottle at BevMo.  Goes great with chicken salads and chicken sandwiches.  Also, great by itself if you simply need to take the edge off.

Folks, meet the 2007 Juan Gil, this month’s celebrated wine introduced to us by our friend Katy.  It is from the Monastrell (Spanish) a.k.a. Mourvedre (French) grape.  According to the professional, this wine is a medium + complexity with it’s layers of red fruit, spices and soft velvety tannins.  Juan Gil’s 2006 production was amazing and it’s 2007 production is surpassing the 2006. Juan Gil is wonderfully paired with rich meats, such as, rack of lamb, venison, and fillet mignon.   Locally, this is selling for around ($12).

This wine was introduced to us by our friend Katy and what an outstanding blend.  I was interested in what grapes created 2 Cocky Sisters, so I checked Clautiere Vineyard’s website and was surprised to see a high percentage of a grape I have never heard of (Counoise) and the fairly cheap price ($11).  We paired it with a simple cranberry, goat cheese salad and shrimp pasta.  Good price, a somewhat local wine located in Central California, and pretty versatile for food pairing.