DRINK

As the buds start to swell on just about everything and we're all putting away our heaviest winter clothes, my thoughts always turn tohellip;what to drink with all those "pack-away-the-winter-bins-and-blues" chores.

It's no longer cold enough to revel in the brooding heavy reds - like syrahs, cabernet sauvignons and malbecs that pair so well with elk, venison and the other heavy red meats of winter that I love during the darkest winter months. But it's also not warm enough to break out the truly refreshing bright light wines of summer. It is an in-between time and that produces some challenges for all of us wine lovers. Trivial I know, but bear with me.

The easy way out of this conundrum of course is to simply stay the course - drink what you like and forget the seasonal shift. I steer clear of this path for a couple of reasons.

First up is that my diet changes quite radically from heavy winter meals rife with meats, sauces and heavy grains to lighter, fresher styles of dining, including more salads, white meats and fish. Secondly, there is simply way too much great wine out there to not explore, and to do so conscientiously and with purpose.

With that in mind, the challenge is to find some lighter red wines, because I still love the red even with the shift in temperament and temperature. My favorites in this category are young pinot noirs from Oregon and California, cabernet francs from the Loire Valley and some Beaujolais from the Burgundy region of France.

Yes, I know, the majority of these wines are not local. Sorry about that, but the fact is that we don't do light delicate reds here in Washington, or much in the rest of the wine- producing regions of the US for that matter. We produce big, bold, audacious wines that knock your socks off with one punch, and that's not what the following wines are all about.

In Oregon there are several producers who craft some excellent young pinot noirs, and often these are relative bar­gains. Benton Lane, A to Z, Broadley Vineyards and Sokol- Blosser all make some younger, fresher styles of pinot that are perfect for springtime. These are just a few suggestions but there are many more out there so go explore.

Younger pinot noirs exhibit vibrant red berry aromas and flavors that are refreshing and alive. These wines work really well with everything from salmon, tuna and chicken to fresh salads with red berries in the mix. These are not to be con­fused with their big brother counterparts - these will not live and mature in your cellar, cabinet, or under the bed. In fact they will not improve with time at all. They are designed to be enjoyed young and they are neither complex nor intense wines. That does not mean that they are not delicious!

Next up are the cab francs of the Loire, which I have al­ways had a great fondness for. I have two favorite areas that I look for when wine hunting: Chinon and Saumur-Champig­ny. The reds from these two areas are consistently outstand­ing and are perfect with the same kinds of foods as the pinots mentioned above. But add grilled duck and sausages to the list. These wines exhibit a gracious marriage of fruit and herbs in a lighter body that is delightful and surprising at the same time.

Then there are the Beau­jolais. This gets a bit trickier because there are numerous villages that produce great Beaujolais (from the Gamay noir grape), ranging from muscular to delicate, each village having a distinct style and specialty. This is the same region that produces Beaujolais nouveau, and these wines are made from the same grape, just not in the same method.

Many wine fans I know don't touch the nouveau wines but are somewhat ra­bid for the village wines, and for good reason - the village wines are outstanding! For springtime I favor the wines from Fleurie and Chiroubles which are lively and fun each time I drink them - the lightest being the wines from Chiroubles.

One thing to note is that these lighter styles of red wine need a slight chill to them to showcase their aro­mas and flavors at their peak. About a half-hour in the fridge will do it. Cheers!

If you want more in-depth and personalized recommen­dations, feel free to contact me at adverting@waitsburg­times.com.