4th of July BBQs

With the 4th of July coming up, I have to write a "drink American" post.  For a patriotic post on wine, there is no better place to begin than with the movie, "Bottle Shock."  "Bottle Shock" tells the story of American wineries beating the French in a blind taste test held in France, judged by French wine experts.  The movie really only details the competition that has Cheateau Montelena's Chardonnay beat the French whites, what it doesn't tell is that the American red wines also beat their French counterparts.  Another aspect of the competition that the movie doesn't really touch on is that the competition, the "Judgement of Paris" as it has since been called, was that the competition was held on America's bicentennial, July 4th, 1976.

So, Chateau Montelena made its name in 1976 with its Chardonnay, but since then, it has become better known for its red wines, especially its Cabernet Sauvignon.  I was luck enough to be able to have a bottle of the Cabernet Sauvignon last week, and I have to say that it is worth all the hype.  It was on par with the Heitz Cellar Cabernet that I had just a few weeks ago, if not even a bit better.  I had this wine with a Tri Tip roast and the meat wasn't the best pair for the wine despite it seems like they would make a perfect pair.  The BBQed beef was great on its own as was the wine, and that's the way I kinda wish we had kept them.  But, all that being said, both were still good, just not complimentary as I wish they had been.  The Cabernet is amazingly concentrated and complex and could be described as overpowering at first, but after having a glass, you start to notice all of the subtle flavors that are not apparent at first.

I know that not everyone will be able to pick up a bottle of Montelena this weekend, but as you prepare your 4th of July BBQs, drink American.  We make some of the best wines to pair with foods made on the grill.  Think Zinfandels and Syrahs, Cabernets and Merlots.  Most will go well with your grill fare this weekend.  As we await the start of the guest post competition, I'll try to update the blog with my BBQ wine pairings for the holiday weekend.  If you come across a good pair this weekend, let me know so I can try it out later this summer.