Wine Essentials for the Labor Day Grillmeister

Come Labor Day, legions of grillmeisters across the land will man their stations, cooking tools in hand, for the last big barbecue of summer. I have my own fork and tong at the ready.

That's the easy part. Planning the big event, now that's another matter. I always like to have a little something for everyone: Marinated flat-iron steak, spicy wings, harpoon-caught fresh salmon, homemade veal brats from my favorite butcher, farmer's market corn on the cob.

Once I fire up the grill, the meat starts burning and the smoke begins to billow, I am in the zone. There is but one thing missing: my glass of wine, the first of many. I never grill without it. That fact alone dictates that I have the wines for the day set aside in advance, close at hand.

Everyone will have their own wine preferences for the Labor Day menu, but I am a creature of habit with a big-tent approach to barbecue wines. Fond as I am of dry rose, I always include a selection of rose and boldly pour the first glass of rose for myself. I have found that if someone doesn't take the lead on rose, it often just sits there while the crisp whites get drained.

Rose is actually perfect with barbecue, delivering lip-smacking fruitiness with savory nuances that go well with smoky fare from the grill. This year, I plan to serve the 2009 Robert Oatley Rose of Sangiovese from Australia ($15) and the Ventana 2008 Rosado ($18) from Monterey, a beautiful dry rose made from Grenache and Syrah.

Those are merely suggestions. There are plenty of wonderful rose options from all over the world, especially the south of France, Spain and California.

There's also a place at my Labor Day feast for simply refreshing, crisp white wines. This year, I plan to chill up several bottles of the Critics Challenge International Wine Competition Wine of the Year: the Chateau Ste. Michelle 2009 Dry Riesling ($15) from Washington's Columbia Valley. This inexpensive Riesling has mouthwatering acidity and makes a terrific quaffer. As a companion wine, and for a change of pace, the 2008 Tangent Albarino ($17) from California's Edna Valley is a delicious alternative. The Tangent Albarino won a platinum award at the 2010 San Diego International Wine Competition.

For my salmon eaters, I will set out a slightly chilled Georges Duboeuf 2009 Flower Label Beaujolais-Villages ($11). The 2009 vintage in Burgundy's Beaujolais district was outstanding, and the wines are very well priced for the quality. The Belle Glos 2008 Meiomi Pinot Noir ($25) from Sonoma County, which I review in this week's tasting notes, will have a place at the table, as well.

The meat eaters in my crowd will be treated to one of my favorite California Rhone-style blends, the 2008 Cotes-du-Robles ($21) from the Eberle Winery in Paso Robles. It has the guts and the complexity to tackle the steak and the brats, and the ripe, succulent fruit to handle the wings. And for a slight uptick in seriousness, one of the most underrated and consistently delicious Bordeaux-style blends from the Napa Valley, the utterly sumptuous 2006 Franciscan Magnificat ($50).

Is it any wonder that I look forward to Labor Day each year?

Wines are rated on a 100-point scale. Wines are chosen for review because they represent outstanding quality or value.

BEST VALUE

Penfolds 2008 Bin 2 Shiraz Mourvedre, South Australia ($15) — In the Bin 2, Shiraz Mourvedre Penfolds does what Australia does best, delivering a high-impact wine for a low-impact price. The concentration of black fruits is impressive as well as the power and length. The fruit is supported by a generous percentage of new oak, and the result is a mouth-filling red that will stand up to sturdy cuisine from the grill. Hints of spice and mint provide notes of intrigue in an otherwise straightforward fruit bomb from Oz. Rating: 88.

Ajello 2009 Grillo, Sicilia Igt, Italy ($12) — This 100-percent Grillo reflects the sunshine of Sicily, exhibiting ripe aromas of pineapple and citrus with refreshing acidity and excellent balance. It's straightforward and simple, but clean, refreshing and enjoyable as an aperitif or with salty or spicy tapas. Rating: 88.

TASTING NOTES

Byron 2008 Monument Pinot Noir, Santa Maria Valley ($60) — You might expect that a wine labeled "Monument" would have an extra gear, and you would be right if the winery happened to be Byron. Monument is winemaker Jonathan Nagy's selection of the finest barrels of the vintage from the estate Nielson vineyard. The '08 Monument is a beautiful wine that expresses notes of dark cherry and plum, and perhaps even some darker tones, with refined tannins that alone elevate it beyond the other Pinots from Byron in this vintage. It shows a lovely floral note and offers focused fruit aromas on the palate and through the lingering finish, with a slight touch of minerality for added complexity. Rating: 94.

Byron 2008 Sierra Madre Vineyard Pinot Noir, Santa Maria Valley ($40) — Byron's Sierra Madre Pinot shows a wonderful density of fruit without going to the extreme of fat and jammy. The lovely red-fruited aromas are supported by firm tannins and complemented by nuances of brown spice and forest floor, which are complexities that I personally find very attractive. The nose is floral and spicy. All in all, a superb example of Pinot from the Santa Maria Valley at a reasonable price. Rating: 90.

Belle Glos 2008 Meiomi Pinot Noir, Sonoma County-Monterey County-Santa Barbara County ($25) — Making a valuable Pinot Noir is a noble ambition. Making a valuable Pinot Noir that shines is an accomplishment of the highest order, for most Pinots that fit into this category are light and lifeless. The Meiomi from Belle Glos is anything but, showing layered red fruit aromas, an attractive earthy note and a hint of spice. The only off-note is a hint of stemmy astringency on the back end, but not to worry, there's plenty of upfront fruit and flavor to satisfy even a serious pinotphile. Rating: 88.

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