A few months ago I discovered a wine bearing my family name, Rethore, would be coming to market here in Massachusetts. Tra-la! I had my father do a bit of more specific digging (we knew we were French, but…) and learned my family is actually from the Loire Valley; long story short, it is possible the folks who make this wine are, in fact, cousins. (See! I knew it was in my blood…)

The Loire Valley is lesser known for its Gamay wines. (Recall Beaujolais in Burgundy is the appellation in France where these wines are at their best.) The Loire is better known for Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc and, for the reds, Cabernet Franc.  Yet, Rethore-Davy has crafted a Gamay for the red-wine-drinking public.

Finally landing on our shores, I had the opportunity to try the Rethore-Davy 2007 Gamay last Friday night. And it was exactly as it should be: bubblegum-flavored, tart and a bit high in acid. Not my favorite grape, that Gamay. But it is wicked cheap! For about $11 those who enjoy a solid expression of Gamay can enjoy the Rethore-Davy here in Massachusetts and possibly elsewhere in the US.

A bit anticlimactic, I have to admit. But cool nonetheless. Perhaps one day soon I’ll get to try their Sauvignon Blanc? (That one seemed to get a solid review from a fellow blogger.) Here’s hoping!

Is wine in your lineage? Have you had the chance to taste an offering?

The last few weeks we’ve taken a break from our conversation about different viticultural and winemaking processes, like sustainability and organics, in lieu of what wine is all about: the experience of wine discovery! But last week the Pircas Negras Torrontes made the “cut” as a June “Wicked Wine” worth seeking out. What we didn’t mention was this wine also happens to be… vegan.

Head on over to Wicked Local today to get the official Pour Favor scoop on what this means – and whether you should be frightened or excited by the idea!

Will knowing a particular wine is vegan impact your buying? How so?

Tuesday night’s local Taste of Somerville event went off without a hitch! Myriad folks from the area popped over to the (perhaps surprising venue of the) Holiday Inn on Washington Street to taste the wares of this greater Boston city. My colleague and I were proud to be one of the few (three, we think) establishments pouring a selection of wines for citizens to sample. While accolades abounded for each one on offer, it was hard not to notice the many pleasantly surprised faces of those who sampled one of my favorite Rose’s of the season:  2008 Saint Andre Figuiere Rose from Provence, France.

Why such surprise? Well, as much as we talk about it here at Pour Favor, it’s one of those things where seeing, or tasting, is believing. Great rose is DRY, crisp and refreshing! We were not pouring the sweet pink stuff from California, also known as White Zinfandel. No, indeed! And, not one person (old, young or in between) was disappointed.  Our mission was accomplished.

Meanwhile, back on the proverbial farm, the Powers That Be in Brussels determined European rose production standards would remain. What’s this, you ask?

Recall a few months ago we discussed headlines indicating European officials were attempting to change legislation such that the blending of red and white wines would be permitted in the production of rose wines.  Well, if you’ve been holding your breath in protest, you can go ahead and let it on out! This week the European Agriculture Commissioner, Mariann Fischer Boel, announced she had changed her mind. Advocacy groups had made their point: the blending of reds and whites would compromise the very essence of what makes (French) rose special – being made from old red grapes. I am so relieved.

Now to see if the French will overturn their ruling against outdoor alcohol consumption as of July 31st….

On a more somber ‘French news‘ note, I am saddened to convey the passing of Johnny Hugel, the famous Alsatian winemaker/advocate. Open a bottle of Hugel this weekend and toast to a marvelous man. Afterall, even if you never knew the role he played in crafting today’s Alsatian wine world, he is a man of great insight saying, “‘People who like wine are nicer people than those who do not like wine.”  I like to think that’s true.

Do you have fond memories drinking Hugel? ‘Tis the season for these tremendous Alsatian whites!

Last weekend my “Supper Swap” group met again for the first time in a while. (We try to meet at least quarterly, picking a theme to inspire our respective culinary adventures for the night and otherwise help us break out of any cooking ruts we may have fallen into.) As we sat around the table discussing our “Summer-is-coming” dishes and what changes we would make to the recipes, I realized I have gotten away from discussing food more specifically in relation to wine on the Pour Favor blog.  I’ve been talking wine first, then food. But most of the time we work the other way around, right? You pick your meal or what you are going to chef, and then select a bottle to accompany it.

Food is important.

I mean, yeah, there is the whole sustenance factor, lol. But in seriousness, wine is meant to be enjoyed with food. There are certainly some that excel on their own; but for the most part winemakers hope their wares grace your table and, ideally, take on a whole new meaning when matched with a wonderful meal.

This isn’t to say we should always strive for the perfect pairing. Nonsense! Rather, we should be mindful that the components which make a wine a wine – fruit, acidity and tannin – are elements that, by nature, are designed for food. On that note, let’s start talking about the union of food and wine over the next few weeks, shall we?

Supper Swap dish #1:  Watermelon, mint salad.

Apparently this dish was inspired by the Mustard Seed restaurant out in Davis, CA. Now their (online) recipe calls for cucumber, watermelon, mint and feta – but my friend recalled it with red onion, watermelon, mint and feta. Either which way you slice it, this salad was terrific. A true summer crowd pleaser. Fresh, healthy and delicious. And there is literally nothing more to it than dicing up the ingredients and tossing them together.

What wine would pair? This dish is incredibly versatile. But my instinct is to go for a terrific, DRY, rose – still OR sparkling! Rose tends to have terrific strawberry, raspberry or watermelon characteristics. One with more minerality (typically French offerings from areas such as Provence) or a more spice-nuanced flavor profile would be best because of the mint, bite of onion and slight richness to the feta.  You can certainly try one with more fruit-forward flavors.  But the watermelon on its own is so delicious, I’d want something nuanced in other ways to draw out it’s more subtle, secondary (et. al.) flavors.

White varietals to consider would be Spanish Albarino or Txakoli or lesser known/sought French offerings like Muscadet, Gros Manseng and Picpoul.  Sauvignon Blanc might be an easier grab-and-go choice that would certainly work.  Simply think crisp, refreshing, minerality.

Prefer red? Try a fruity, ligher-styled, dry summer red. You don’t want to upstage the juicy watermelon on your plate!

What wine(s) would you pick for this dish?

I can hardly believe it is already June – 6 months of 2009 are behind us and only 6 more to go!  Time to officially get our beach chairs out of storage and fill up a second propane tank as “back up” for those terrific nights of grilling ahead. The only thing needed is a few good ideas for what to uncork this month…

Head on over to Wicked Local today to get the skinny on four great wines you should give a (s)wirl. Some are a party all in themselves; others will help get it started (without breaking the bank).

What other wines have you tucked into this month? Any destined to become your official summer “house” wines?