This month, we've put together a great Summer Wine package of wines from Portugal, France, and the good ol' USA. 

There's nothing more refreshing then a Portugese Vinho Verde, and Vina Real Vinho Verde perfectly fits the bill.  Vinho Verde is the classic ‘green wine’ of the Portuguese north, is known for its leanness, vigour and freshness. (The ‘Verde’ in the name describes the youth of the wine, rather than color.) Grown on the Atlantic Coast, north of the Douro river, where the port-wine barges ply their trade to the eponymous city of Porto, Vino Verde is one of Europe’s great historic whites; a little frizzante, low in alcohol, and easy to drink, you'll love it on the porch, as an aperitif, or enjoying it with light appetizers!

I flipped when I tried Coloma Chardonnay.  Organically farmed single vineyard Sonoma Coast Chardonnays don't grow on trees, especially for this price.   We've tried Coloma's Pinot and Syrah in past bargain offerings, so I was expecting a wine that delivered a lot more than the price point.  I wasn't disappointed - bright fruit, rounded by a skosh of oak, swerving between apple and and the slightest hint of butter - a quality wine for a song!

The next two wines are from a great Burgundy producer:  R. Dubois et Fils.  Beatrice and Raphael Dubois have added a modern touch to vinegrowing and to the vinification of the domaine's wines, while still respecting tradition.  From 35 acres, the estate produces red,  white and Rosé Burgundy, Aligoté, Haute Côte de Nuits, Haute Côte de Beaune, Pinot Noir, Nuits St Georges, Vosne-Romanée, Clos-Vougeot, Savigny les Beaunes, Passe-Tout-Grain, and  Chambolle Musigny.Their chief ambition is that of offering a consumer friendly and original selection of wines and appellations of Burgundy.

Their Rosé of Pinot Noir  just rocks!  Medium bodied, dry with light candied flavors on the finish. Salmon-color, elegantly fresh and fruity tasting, leaving a delicate flavor of quince on the palate.  Mmm.

Unlike other red wine appleations in Burgundy, Passe-Tout-Grains is always a blend of Gamay and Pinot Noir.  Meant to be drunk young, slightly chilled and with food.  This cuvée is 70% Gamat and the rest Pinot - bright, fruity, and easy to drink!

Casa Santos Lima Portuga is a lively blend of indigenous Portugese varieties Castelao and  Touriga Franca, blended with Syrah and cabernet Sauvignon, from the region of Estramadura, outside of Lisbon.  The wine has a lovely nose of deep, ripe berry fruits like brambles and blackcurrants, but it is infused with a touch of earthy smokiness. The palate delivers a nice mouthful of wine with a hearty quality of robust fruit and food-friendly tannins tannins.

Finally, there's Hodge du Podge, made by the folks over at Fess Parker Winery.  A blend of Syrah (62%) Petite Sirah (21%), Grenache (12%), and Cinsault (4%), this is a heady, big mouthful of wine that has a good fruit/acid balance. Great with grilled meats, cheeses, or just hanging out. 

RECIPES

For the Whites and Rosé: Baked Tomato and Goat Cheese Tart  Serves 2-4

Paired with a nice leafy green salad, and washed down with glasses of chilled rose or white, this tart is perfect afternoon summer fare. The layer of mustard spread on the base of the tart adds a wonderful spicy back bite to the baked tomatoes and tangy goat cheese.

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 4 1/2 ounces unsalted butter, chilled, cut into cubes
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 3 large ripe tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
• 8 ounces fresh goat cheese, sliced into rounds
• 1 1/2 tablespoons lavender honey

Make the dough by mixing the flour and salt in a bowl. Add the butter and use your hands, or a pastry blender, to break in the butter until the mixture has a crumbly, cornmeal-like texture.

Mix the egg with 2 tablespoons of the water. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the beaten egg mixture, stirring the mixture until the dough holds together. If it’s not coming together easily, add the additional tablespoon of ice water.

Gather the dough into a ball and roll the dough on a lightly floured surface, adding additional flour only as necessary to keep the dough from sticking to the counter.

Once the dough is large enough so that it will cover the bottom of the pan and go up the sides, roll the dough around the rolling pin then unroll it over the tart pan. “Dock” the bottom of the pastry firmly with your fingertips a few times, pressing in to make indentations.

If making a freestyle tart, simply transfer the dough to a prepared baking sheet (see headnote); no need to make indentations with your fingers.

Preheat the oven to 425ºF (218ºC).

Spread an even layer of mustard over the bottom of the tart dough and let it sit a few minutes to dry out.

Slice the tomatoes and arrange them over the mustard in a single, even layer. Drizzle the olive oil over the top.

Sprinkle with some chopped fresh herbs, then arrange the slices of goat cheese on top. Add some more fresh herbs, then drizzle with some honey, if using.

Bake the tart for 30 minutes or so, until the dough is cooked, the tomatoes are tender, and the cheese on top is nicely browned. Depending on the heat of your oven, if the cheese doesn’t brown as much as you’d like it, you might want to pass it under the broiler until it’s just right.

Note: Kate indeed does cook her tart in a very hot oven. You might wish to check the tart midway through baking and turn it down a bit in case the top is getting too dark, before the crust and tomatoes appear to be cooked.

For the Reds:  Barbecued Short Rib Sandwiches with Pickled Onions Serves 6 (with leftovers)

The best way to cook these ribs is to use moderately-high heat and resist the urge turn them incessantly. They should be as dark as possible, almost burnt. If you have a good hood fan, you’ll put it to good use.
 

• 3/4 cup  white vinegar
• 3 tablespoons  sugar
• pinch of salt
• 1 bay leaf
• 5 allspice berries
• 5 whole cloves
• 1 small dried chile pepper
• 1 large red onion, peeled, and thinly sliced into rings
• 10 short ribs (rib pieces cut into 3 to 4-inch)
• Salt and freshly-ground pepper
• chili powder
• brown sugar
• cumin
• garlic powder
• 1 onion, peeled and quartered
• 2 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
• 6 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
• 2 bay leaves
• ¼ cup tomato paste
• 1 ½ cups dark beer
• ½ bunch thyme
• 2-3 cups homemade or favorite store bought BBQ sauce
• 6 toasted brioche hamburger buns
• Dijon mustard
• Horseradish
• 2 cups wild arugula

In a small, non-reactive saucepan, heat the vinegar, sugar, salt, bay leaf, allspice berries, cloves and chili until boiling. Add the onion slices and lower heat, then simmer gently for 30 seconds.

Remove from heat and let cool completely. Transfer the onions and the liquid into a jar then refrigerate at least 2 days before use.

Preheat the oven to 325F.

Toss the ribs in the spice rub mixture. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Heat oil in a large roasting pan and fry the short ribs until each side is very dark and well-caramelized. Don’t skimp and it may take up to an hour to get them all done. If your pan isn’t big enough, you can brown them in batches, or do some in a separate pan. Remove the ribs from the pan, and then turn off the heat and deglaze the pan with the beer. Scrape up the browned bits stuck to the pan with a firm spatula.Then add the onions, carrots, bay leaves, and tomato paste, stirring to blend the paste into the liquid. Bring to a simmer and cook until reduced by a third. Return the ribs to the pot, add the thyme, cover, and place in the oven. Cook for about 3 hours, turning the ribs a few times while they’re cooking. The ribs are done when they’re fork-tender and falling off the bone. (During cooking, you may need to add a bit of water to the pan if the liquid evaporates too much.) Remove the short ribs from the oven, drain, and discard the solids, reserving about ½ cup of the liquid. Allow the short ribs to cool for about 15 minutes before handling. Pull the meat from the bones and shred into smaller pieces. Place in a deep saute pan, and pour in the reserved cooking liquid. Return to the stove over medium heat. Stir in the BBQ sauce, reduce the heat to low, and cook until the meat and sauce are fully blended.

Serve on warm brioche buns, smeared with mustard and horseradish. Top with pickled onions and wild arugula dressed with a little olive oil.

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