S.W. and Rich Hermansen
Guest Writers
wine@lbknews.com
We have found a cheap but good white wine, a 2022 Guardiano Vivace Pinot Grigio del 
Venezie ($6) from Italy.
How do we serve it?
A bargain white wine could be the ideal wine to serve to family or guests during a porch or backyard gathering during the summer. No need to apologize for an inexpensive wine. Serve it well chilled wirh crudités (https://www.themediterraneandish.com/simple-crudites-platter/), crackers and cheese, and if the occasion calls for them, appetizers such as gazpacho, a fruit plate, or steamed shrimp.
Pouring the wine over fresh blackberries, raspberries, white grapes, sliced strawberries, or peach, nectarine, or apricot slices, perhaps topped with Topo Chico or another sparkling water, adds a healthy dose of fresh fruit to a glass of wine. The white wine draws out the fruit flavors.
Adding fresh fruit juice to the glass of the white wine and sliced fruits makes it a White Sangria. Mango, peach, or nectarine puree make a Sangria sweeter than one with both fresh lemon and lime slices and a splash of citrus juice. Agave nectar adds a touch of sweetness to an overly tangy mixture. Garnishing with fresh mint or basil leaves gives White Sangria another taste dimension.
Mixing spirits in wine combines the clean, crisp taste of a white wine and a little kick of, say, vodka or white rum. A simple cocktail may have one-half ounce of Triple Sec, an ounce of white rum, and an ounce of fresh lime juice shaken with ice and a few ounces of white wine. Garnish with a slice of lime.
The white wine you serve may have a complementary role in salad dressings, sauces, and glazes. Add a splash of the white wine you plan to serve to a vinaigrette dressing. The wine will magically pair well with the salad. Infuse honey into white wine when preparing a sauce for delicate fish or grilled chicken and pork loin. Honey and white wine blend smoothly before being added to Dijon mustard, olive oil, or other bases for sauces. White wine will help thin a honey glaze to make it easier to baste a chicken breast or a fresh ham.
Beyond these five ways to enjoy a still white wine, the classic recipes for a Mimosa (fresh orange juice poured over a sparkling win) or a Bellini (peach puree poured over sparkling white wine) develop unique tastes as ascending bubbles blend into fresh juice. A bargain Cava from the Catalonia region of Spain always seems a good choice for a Mimosa or Bellini. The Freixenet Cordon Negro Brut ($12 750ml) should be easy to find in most wine shops in standard and smaller sizes. We have also recommended the Campo Viejo Brut Reserve ($10).
We have suggested five ways to serve a basic white wine. Different white wines may favor only a few of these and perhaps many alternatives. These wines will help us through a hot summer.
As the struggles in Ukraine continue, we recommend another vintage of the Moldovian homage to Ukraine and it local allies, the 2020 Chateau Purcari Freedom Blend Tribute Edition ($22). This lovely red wine pays tribute to the countries that are opposing the efforts of the inheritors of the old Soviet Union to regain control of what once was the Russian Empire.
S. W. Hermansen has used his expertise in econometrics, data science and epidemiology to help develop research databases for the Pentagon, the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Agriculture, and Health Resources and Services. He has visited premier vineyards and taste wines from major appellations in California, Oregon, New York State, and internationally from Tuscany and the Piedmont in Italy, the Ribera del Duero in Spain, the Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale in Australia, and the Otego Valley in New Zealand. Currently he splits time between residences in Chevy Chase, Maryland and St. Armand’s Circle in Florida.
Rich Hermansen selected has first wine list for a restaurant shortly after graduating from college with a degree in Mathematics. He has extensive service and management experience in the food and wine industry. Family and friends rate him as their favorite chef, bartender, and wine steward. He lives in Severna Park, Maryland.
