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SiG MT 21 Text by Gene Betz RAMBLING VINES S MT What's In Your Glass? Your Mens Specialty Apparel Headquarters 411 Central Avenue, Great Falls 406-761-5010 FIND US ON FACEBOOK Styling Montanan's for 124 Years Providing brands like Enro • S. Cohen • Neil M Shoes So...I says to my wife, I says, "Hey Ralph, what do you want to drink with dinner tonight?" She says, "I don't care as long as it's red." But, it was 90° outside and we were eating one of my infamous seafood salads, so red (which would have kicked our butts in this heat) really wasn't appropriate and I had a couple of really good whites in mind. So...we compromised and had a rosé. Rosé's have all the freshness of a summer white as well as the structure and flavors of a red. The old-school rules of red with meat and white with fish don't necessarily fit the way we eat these days. Now, there are more variations filtering into the mix. For example: there are some great, lighter reds that can be slightly chilled that will work great with a steak on a hot summer's day. Pinot Noir and grilled salmon are perfect together. Rosé goes with everything. And a good California Zinfandel makes a BBQ sing. Look for a lighter style of red with a lower alcohol level and a more refreshing acid level. Tannins should be on the softer side and, as for oak, look for no oak aging or as little as you can find. Beaujolais is a good choice here. The temperature you would normally drink red wine at is in the low 60's. But, our homes tend to be closer to 75° and reds can stand to be around 55° in the summer so feel free to chill them. Try 20 to 25 minutes in your refrigerator or 10 to 15 in your freezer. Of course, the ultimate chilled red wine is sangria which puts that great summer produce to good use. What wines have we been drinking this summer? Purists might disagree with us on this one, but Jill and I love New Age white on the rocks with a splash of lime juice when relaxing on our deck in the late afternoon. It is amazingly refreshing, low in alcohol and goes down a bit too easily. Scaia white from Italy is a lovely blend of Garganega and Chardonnay that drinks very much like a Sauvignon Blanc and has developed a huge following at Vintage Sellers in Great Falls. LaFage Miraflors Rosé and Evans and Tate's Fresh as a Daisy Sauvignon Blanc are also great choices for lighter fare on a hot afternoon. And never discount how well a cold sparkler such as Gruet Blanc de Noirs works with summer meals. And what's the best way to enjoy a glass of wine outside, short of solo cups? Try stemless glasses by Govino or the stemmed acrylic. They come in 2 styles, one for still wine and flutes for your sparklers. Go forth and enjoy wine.