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Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/524520
www.cheersonline.com 25 June 2015 • Restaurants share what they'll be matching up this season S ommeliers and wine directors love this time of year. As the weather warms up, fun, versatile ingredients abound—from herbs to fruits to vegetables—with something new appearing seemingly every week. Chefs' dishes during the late spring and early summer are fresh, vibrant and flavorful—and in need of wines that can impress without overshadowing the culinary stars of the season. We asked several wine pros to share their picks for the hot wines and perfect matches for the season. By Kelly A. Magyarics WHO: Keith Mallini WHAT: General manager/wine director WHERE: Sheraton Kona Resort & Spa at Keauhou Bay, Keauhou, HI FAVORITE SUMMER BOTTLE: Veuve Clicquot Demi-Sec "From foie gras to pork belly, carpaccio to sushi, bubbles make everything better. And bubbles with bite? All the better." From the abounding sun to the gentle tropical breezes, summer really never ends in Hawaii. So the perpetual forecast means it's a virtual treasure trove for warm-weather wines. Keith Mallini, general manager/wine director at the Sheraton Kona Resort & Spa at Keauhou Bay, Keauhou, HI, says while some guests at its Ray's on the Bay gravitate towards bigger reds during the cooler months, white is usually king throughout the year. The challenge is steering diners away from the usual suspects in varietals, so Mallini directs them to wines made with grapes grown in volcanic soils. He loves to pair Hawaiian salmon crisp flatbread with Inama Vin Soave ($11 a glass, $43 a bottle) from Italy. "Garganega from basaltic lava soils sings elderflower and almond; bright fruit yet underlying minerality and high acid to match the pungency of PHOTO CREDIT: TOBY HOOGS