Classic Maine Summer Food Pairings
August may be the bittersweet Sunday of Summer, but there’s still so much fun to be had this month. It’s also the time when the produce is coming in fast and furious, people who haven’t yet are squeezing in a last vacation before school starts, and the temperatures are cooling off towards comfortable again. We thought it would be fun to focus this month’s wine email on classic Maine summer foods we’re savoring and what we’re drinking with them. Happy August!
Fresh-from-the-Damariscotta-River Oysters
Gabriele Scaglione Roero Arneis 2021 (Roero, Italy) | $24.99
“Ottimo con il Pesce e…” With a name that translates to “Excellent with fish and…” the label says it all. Made from hand-picked Arneis grapes this is a simple yet complex wine that is ready for merrymaking, which definitely means oyster shucking. Dry, lightly herbaceous with a nose of white flowers and citrus fruit.
From the Farm Stand Corn on the Cob
Heaps Good White 2019 (Štajerska, Slovenia) | $16.99
The focus at Heaps Good is on small production with minimal intervention – “wild style”. The vineyards are on very steep slopes that experience cold winters and dry summers. This white blend is made with Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Muscat Ottonel, and Wurzer. Herbaceous (dill!), smokey, floral, and apricots. We also sell their Heaps Good Skin Contact and it’s very delicious and unique. We highly recommend trying that one, too!
Maine Italian Sandwiches at the beach
Dão Branco Mary Taylor 2019 (Sandomil, Portugal) | $18.99
Dão wines, the hidden gem of Portugal. This is a wine that everyone should know about from female winemaker, Lucia Ferreira, bursting with pear and a tart smack of citrus, laced with acid and mountain-river stone. If you haven’t tried a white from Dão, this is a good entry as it pairs with a wide variety of foods and occasions.
Buttery Lobster Rolls
Domaine de Reuilly Pinot Gris Rosé 2021 (Reuilly, France) | $24.99
Reuilly is a small village in the eastern part of the Loire Valley with its own appellation for red, rosé, and white wines made from Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, and Sauvignon Blanc. You probably haven’t seen a Pinot Gris this pink/orange in color, which is due to the skin contact of the grapes. This wine has enough acidity (think salty watermelon rind) to cut through the creaminess of the butter, but not so much that its floral nose gets outshone or overpowers the delicate lobster.
Kielbasa & Zucchini hot off the grill (made in-house at Kennebec Meat Market!)
Eric Kent Sonoma Coast Rosé 2021 (Sonoma, California, USA) | $29.99
One of our customers introduced us to this winemaker, and boy are we glad they did. If you’re looking for a more medium-bodied rosé grab a bottle of this blend of 77% Pinot Noir, 17% Syrah, and 6% Grenache. It’s juicy and tart, but also textured with a little bit of spice. Enjoy chilled. Only a few cases of this wine make it to Maine each summer and you better hurry because we’re tempted to buy it all for ourselves.
Blueberry Pie
Absolem King Leo Ice Cider 2021 (Winthrop, Maine, USA) | $21.99
Ice Cider only happens if the conditions are just right. For the magic to happen there needs to be cold winter days, a lot of a good harvest of the right apples, and time. This means when Absolem has it available we snatch it up. This is their Quebec-style blend of Mcintosh and Cortland apples that gets aged in stainless steel leaving a whopping 15% residual sugar. Perfect for sipping with a warm slice of blueberry pie à la mode.
Pricing and availability subject to change after this posting.