2. Finca de Arantei 2006 Albariño, Rias
Baixas.
From the sweet-spot of Spain's Albariño
production in the northwest of the
country comes this crisp, gently melon-y
white that will work with anything from
softshell crab to simple chicken dishes.
And even after all these years, good
Albariño is still astoundingly affordable.
3. D’Arenberg 2007 Viognier “The Last
Ditch,” Adelaide Hills.
This one finds its center of gravity on the
richer end of the viognier spectrum than
the Rolf Binder. It’s a barrel-
fermented, Creamsicle-rich wine that you
don’t want to chill down too much. Just
pull it from the cellar, screw open the
cap, and call it a night. You won’t want to
leave the couch once you start sipping.
4. Domaine du Cayron 2007 Gigondas.
$31.99 may seem like a lot to pay for a
Southern Rhone bottling that’s not
Chateauneuf-du-Pape (although those
tend to be far more these days…), but
this one, from the stellar ’07 vintage, is
worth it and then some. Its rich fruit
makes it excellent on its own, and its
Mediterranean-y spiciness scream out for
food.