Wine Recommendations

Barbeque isn’t just for beef any more. Yes, we all love a great grilled steak with potato salad, but when it’s really hot; it’s fantastic to have a grilled dinner that’s lighter in the tummy – with the right wines, of course.

Tomato cream sauce based dishes are always a challenge for sommeliers. IntoWine.com asked our panel of wine experts to recommend a wine to pair with tomato cream sauce dishes: "Tomato cream sauces are notoriously unfriendly to wine pairings. However, in such circumstances, I look at the elements. Cream is soft. Tomato is acidic. My choice would be a good Gewurztraminer from Alsace, or even New Zealand . The Gewurz, with its lychee flavors tend not to compete but add very interesting nuances when paired with tomato cream sauce . From Alsace, try Hugel or Riefle. From New Zealand, try Spy Valley . On the other hand, when in doubt about a food and wine pairing , I often look towards the Buy Chateau Musar Ch. Musar from Lebanon, in the case of a tomato cream sauce, the white to be specific. Lebanon’s cuisine is so incredibly varied, only about 10% of it is found in Lebanese restaurants in America, and so their wines have to be made to be more versatile than other regions. If serving the white Chateau Musar, make sure that you buy the oldest vintage that you can find and serve it at room temperature. Be warned, you may be confused by this wines, they are unique and intriguing, not to everyone’s taste, unless you can hit that perfect food pairing ." - Bartholomew Broadbent , CEO, Broadbent Selections, San Francisco

It's hard to find someone who dislikes a good crumble at the end of a meal (or for a sinister midnight snack). IntoWine.com asked our panel of wine experts to recommend a dessert wine to serve with fruit cobblers and crumbles: To more accurately answer this question, it really does depend on the type of cobbler or crumble. If the fruit base is red berry, then a red based dessert wine is called for. My favorite, crumbles and cobblers are, however, apple and peach. For those, a white grape based dessert wine makes sense. I would look to those from the Loire valley in France. For my money, the very best of these is from the Baumard winery and the Quart de Chaumes appellation. Right now the 2005 and 2006 Baumard Quarts de Chaumes are available in the market. 2005 was a fantastic vintage in the Loire. 2006, while classic, is not far behind. Both have great acidity that makes for a grand food match. Buy the 2005 Baumard Quarts de Chaumes As a bonus, these wines are available in half bottle formats (375 ml). A little dessert wine goes a long way. A half bottle can serve 6 (maybe 8) people for dessert. These wines are not inexpensive though. A half bottle can cost $35. Yet, this is one of the greatest bottles of wine in the world. The wine has wonderful apple and peach notes with hints of vanilla. It is slightly sweet but will not overpower a sweet dessert. The acidity brings everything together wonderfully. It is certain to be the hit of any dinner party. - Loren Sonkin , IntoWine.com Featured Contributor and the Founder/Winemaker at Sonkin Cellars.

Summertime is the season of backyard barbecues and grilled steak. IntoWine.com asked our panel of wine experts to recommend a red wine to pair with that summertime staple, grilled steak: When I have a grilled steak , it’s a special occasion. The meat itself is a treat, so the wine doesn’t need to be anything complicated or expensive—just solid, red and balanced, with good body and acidity to stand up to the entree. A Bordeaux or one of the more balanced California Cabernets or Bordeaux blends always works well, as does a solid Merlot. The advantage of a Merlot is that it doesn’t need all the bottle age that most Cabs do to be food friendly. California Merlots also tend to be a good value, and some of my favorites, which are ideal with steak, come from A. Rafanelli, Castello di Amorosa, Darioush, Peju Province and Robert Keenan.

What's a good christmas gift for someone who loves wine? Wine is a common gift during the Christmas holiday season. However nobody wants to give a random bottle, particularly if the recipient is a wine connoisseur. To offer some guidance for holiday shoppers looking for an appropriate and unique wine gift, IntoWine.com asked a panel of wine experts to share their best suggestion for a unique wine gift idea: " Chateau Musar vintage red . Chateau Musar is one of the most unusual gift items for Christmas. It is always a surprise to those that don't know that Lebanon makes wine. For those who do know, they know that it is highly regarded and it was a wine chosen with a bit more thought and attention than just a big brand name. It is a wine that ages for as long as you like, so it is for collectors, yet can be drunk immediately. It is also a wine which goes perfectly with almost any sort of food, so whether having turkey, ham, goose or salmon." - Bartholomew Broadbent, CEO, Broadbent Selections, San Francisco. New Years Eve Champagne Recommendations