GIO'S WINE TIPS #s 1-7

Closing in on the 100-wine mark--in terms of individual wines reviewed on Gio's Wine Notes--and I am now prepared to put my name on some basic tips to get the most pleasure out of your glass today.

• If you drink only red wine or white wine--or never touch sparkling or rose' wines--you are cheating yourself! Imagine being a fan of the theatre but restricting yourself to tragedy OR comedy. In pursuing your passion so narrowly, you may be moved by Hamlet but will never experience the ironic playfulness of The Importance of Being Earnest. Let it go--and drink it all

• A Portuguese red (Touriga Nacional) or Chilean red (Cab) around $10.00-$12.00 is nearly always more interesting and satisfying than any Bordeaux or California red at that price and up to about $20.00 (Cotes du Rhones, in my experience, are more likely to offer good wine at a lower price, in comparison with Bordeax and California, but not as likely as wines from Portugal and Chile)
  

• A Spanish white (Albarino, Verdejo, or blends) OR an Austrian Gruner Veltliner at around $10.00-$12.00 is nearly always more interesting and satisfying than any producer's Pinot Grigio, Riesling, Chardonnay, or Sauvignon Blanc at that price and up to about $20.00

• Garnacha (Spain) or Grenache (France) is one of the most food-friendly and affordable reds on the market today

• Spanish sparkling Cava and Italian sparkling Prosecco offer much more quality for the money than Champagne. For what one has to spend to get good Champagne one could easily purchase three or four bottles of high-quality Cava or Prosecco

• Don't write off Riesling as a GREAT appetizer or dinner wine. They're not all Kool-Aid sweet, and when paired with spicy Asian fare or seafood with a spicy sauce...wow.

• While there's a lot of low-quality, tasteless Italian Pinot Grigio on the market, there are also some wonderful wines made with Washington state Pinot Gris...go Northwest!
  

Cin, cin!