Toast to carefree days
Savor summer in a glass, whether you choose a delicious wine or signature cocktail. If you make your selection at sunset in the Lobby Lounge, be sure to enjoy the live music of Lisa Lofthouse and Steve Siu, and sip as the sun dips behind Catalina Island.
wines for unwinding
Our talented sommelier team offers their top three food-friendly wine selections for those seeking a change from the usual choices.
The crisp acidity, bright fruit and explosive tropical aromas of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc work very well with the lighter foods of summer, such as salads, fish, vegetables and fruit. The grapes are exposed to the sun to reduce the vegetal quality of the wine, then picked earlier to preserve an intense acidity and fermented almost completely dry to ensure a touch of remaining sugar to balance the acidity. Craggy Range Sauvignon Blanc, New Zealand 2006, is a textbook example. The nose shows bright grapefruit, candied lemon, fresh lime and gooseberry aromas, with a hint of grassiness that adds dimension to the fruit complexity. The finish is long and pleasant.
A relatively new breed of Sauvignon Blanc is coming out of California, somewhere between those of the Loire Valley of France and those of New Zealand. These wines reflect the crispness and character of well-ripened Sauvignon Blanc, not of oak, and are not a watered-down Chardonnay. Cliff Lede, Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley, California 2005 is a beautiful wine. It is lighter and more delicate than the Craggy Range, showing more floral elements of lime blossom, lemon peel, dried grapefruit and passion fruit. There is a soft touch of grass but it adds to the fruit, and there is a mouth-watering acidity and long, intense finish: fresh, vibrant yet light.
With grilled red meats, however, consider turning to Malbec of Argentina. These wines offer an abundance of fruit and a spicy earthiness that are a perfect match to anything with grill marks. Malbec wines are not as big as Cabernet Sauvignon, are more intense and spicy than Merlot and not as fruit-dominated as Zinfandel. The fruit tends to be dark and ripe, sometimes taking on a dried quality and some with an interesting smoky-violet fragrance. Susana Blabo, Malbec, Mendoza, Argentina 2005 is a great example from a producer that has never disappointed. The wine is almost black, suggesting the intensity and richness to follow. The nose has smoky-black plum, fennel and cocoa. The fruit shows over ripe black plum and black cherry with elements of tobacco, licorice and dark chocolate, coating your mouth but not overly heavy, and proving to be a thrilling change from more typical red wine choices.
