Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/35876
Guest Editor: KATE WEBBER As the winner of THE TASTING PANEL’S Italian Wine Write- Off earlier this year, Kate Webber, Owner/Director of Webber Restaurant Group in Massachusetts, has also been tasked to be our Guest Editor for a series of wine reviews. The Group consists of The Gibbet Hill Grill, The Scarlet Oak Tavern, Fireside Catering and The Barn at Gibbet Hill. Webber holds a Diploma from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust and she is a Certified Sommelier through the Court of Master Sommeliers and the International Sommelier Guild. After a recent trip to Spain, Webber was inspired to write about Spanish Summer Wines Spain is producing excellent whites and reds that can be enjoyed throughout the summer months. Look for these user-friendly (though sometimes overlooked) varietals, all bright and lively and perfect for the sunshine. Pablo del Villar 2010 “Ipsum,” Rueda ($10) Crisp and light with tart pear and green apple, this Viura–Sauvignon Blanc blend is incred- ibly food friendly and will brighten up dishes from vinaigrettes to tuna sashimi. Pazo de Galegos 2010 Albariño, Rías Baixas ($20) Powerful orange, ripe apple and sweet lemon notes are coupled with a classic salinity that makes this wine both light and complex. This wine wants oysters and shellfish all day long. Viños Sin Ley 2010 Puerta Bonita G5 Garnacha, Madrid ($14) Garnacha may not seem like a summer wine, but the lifted red fruits of strawberry, raspberry and bright sweet cherry bring out the lighter side of ripe. Combined with flavors of tarragon and hazelnuts, softer tannins and a completely seamless mouthfeel, you’ll drink this wine all summer. Raúl Pérez 2009 Ultreia St. Jacques Mencia, Bierzo ($23) The key to great Spanish wine is acidity, and this wine has it in spades, making it a perfect red to cut through hot days. Medium-bodied with strawberry and cranberry, spices and violets and a spot of cherry cola in the back, this wine is bright and travels forever on the palate. The wines above are imported by Olé Imports. EU Organic Kate Webber, photographed at The Gibbet Hill Grill in Groton, MA Tasting Panel Publisher’s Pick 96 Points “Head Over Heels in Love” 123 Certified Organic Tequila (Uno Dos Tres) 123Tequila.com july 201 1 / the tasting panel / 65 PHOTO: MICHAEL QUIET