Catavino's on Vacation, but first a question: What is Your Summer Comfort Wine

beach Hey everyone, Catavino is headed for a brief vacation! My aunt and uncle have flown in from Santa Monica, California for a 10 day whirlwind tour of Roman ruins, coastal hideaways, small medieval pueblos, quaint little restaurants serving fresh grilled fish, leisurely strolls through the expressive creations of Gaudi, and of course, a dip in the warm and ever inviting Mediterranean. What more could a vacation could possibly consist of?!

Wine!

While Ryan and I packed up our gear for the weekend, we realized that without batting an eyelash, we grabbed a few bottles of Fino Sherry and Cava – our two summer standbys. These are the styles of wine we reach for when we don’t want to think, and know without a doubt, they will pair beautifully with whatever we place with them. Frisbee along the shore with a 1/4 pint of olives, fresh bread, a hunk of sharp Manchego cheese and 40 grams of Jamon Iberico de Bellota from Salamaca – perfect! An impromptu barbeque at our casa rural (a cheap house in the country you can rent for a song) with a seafood paella and mixed salad bursting with fresh produce bought in the open air market that morning – lovely! A simple lunch of gazpacho - ideal! Even if we choose to sit and watch the sun set over the valley, gossiping over time’s past, both of these wines continuously bring a deep and gratifying smile to our faces.

So the question we leave you with today, while we enjoy our four day vacation in Costa Brava, is: what are your summer comfort wines? What are the wines you grab off the shelf without thinking twice when the temperatures heat up? We’re talking wines that don’t cost a ton, require no though when consuming them, and provide plenty of enjoyment. Please share your suggestions in the comments below and we’ll see if we can all learn about a few new treats for the coming months.

Till Tuesday,

Gabriella and Ryan Opaz

Bill

Enjoy your well deserved vacation, or holiday as they say across the pond.

You may think it odd, but my wine habits don’t really change with the seasons. I may drink a couple of rose’s, but for the most part I stick with dry red wine from European vineyards. Of course, I will throw in the occasional Sauvignon Blanc to drink with white fleshed fish or fowl, but that’s nothing out of the ordinary. For me, summer is more about cuba libre’s and Jimmy Buffett margaritas (they are awesome).

I don’t really have any suggestions other than to say drink what you enjoy regardless of the season, and as far as wine goes, nine times out of ten it depends on what I’m having for dinner.
http://bodegaspanishwine.blogspot.com/ Rick

I hope you both have a fantastic holiday with your family.

As for your question, I almost exclusively a red wine drinker (99% Spanish, seriously!) but over the past couple of years (ever since my last trip to Valencia) have become very fond of Txakoli. My favorite as of late is the 2007 Oreka from the D.O. Getariako Txakolina. This is a wonderfully crisp white with just a little “fizz”. I don’t feel as guilty starting to drink earlier in the day – not that any of us need a reason. Chat with you soon!