Red Wine for a Labor Day Barbecue

For many Labor Day signals the end of summer. The holiday is a celebration of the working class in both the United States and Canada. While we celebrate our achievements, it is best done over dinner, most often a barbecue with steaks ribs or hamburgers. What better way to pay tribute than toasting with a glass of wine and what pairs better with a barbecue; red wine.   Here is a selection of red wines to consider enjoying with your holiday meal or at any other time.

By far the best value for an incredibly delicious red wine is Feudo Zirtari from Sicily. This wine is a combination of Nero d’Avola and Syrah. You can really sense a European elegance of the Syrah. The wine exemplifies the meeting of two worlds, the traditional old world, and the innovative new world. One immediately senses the cherry red fruit aromas, and the wine delivers the sweetness of cherry on the palate. The wine is bright and balanced with hints of licorice on the finish. This wine is a winner at $14.

Looking for a big full-bodied red wine Castello di Amorosa’s 2012 La Castellana Super Tuscan Blend is superb. Created like the Italian Bordeaux Sangiovese blend, this wine consists primarily Cabernet Sauvignon blended with Sangiovese and Merlot. This wine is also known as “Lady of the Castle” The wine has a velvety texture with aromas of cherry, tobacco, mocha and a hint of tomatoes. I found a rich fruit-forward California styled wine that exudes the flavors of cherries.

Looking for a French GSM, Chateau Paul Mas Clos des Mûres is a blend of mostly Syrah with Grenache and Mourvédre. Located in the Languedoc region in the South of France, Jean- Claude Mas is a fourth-generation vintner who describes his wines as “Luxe Rural.” This term means that each individual finds can find luxury in the simplest pleasures. This wine is a medium-bodied wine that has earthy aromas of currants, stewed plums, and cocoa. The flavors are those of dried berries, dark berries.

Who does not like a good Chianti. Lamole di Lamole Blue Label Chianti Classico is a very balanced and smooth well-integrated wine. There is a nice earthy quality that accents the cherry flavors. This character comes from the winery’s utilization of what they call, the “Lamole Method,” which includes sustainable practices.

El Dorado County is a very special place in California. Known as Gold Rush country the red wines due to the elevation of the location of the vineyards in the Sierra Nevada slopes gives wines from the region an intense quality. In the past tasting, Findleton Estate Winery wines always promise to deliver. Such is the case with their 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine is bright and well balanced with wonderful cherry, plum, and stewed fruit flavors. There is allspice on the finish. One finds the wine layer in velvety rich textures. Not only is the wine enjoyable but also the artwork on the label created by owner Pamela Findleton entices you to drink the wine.

Enjoying an outstanding bottle of red wine on Labor Day is honoring the work the winemaker has extended to perfect their wine. We are honoring the labor of love that goes into creating the wine we so enjoy.