I was looking for a bottle or two of wine to open the other night and came across a couple bottles that I had found hidden away in the back of the old wine chiller. Having had enough of the more common Cabernet, Chardonnay and the like, I was happy to come across these bottles that are more found off the beaten path as far as wines go. And with a beautiful piece of sirloin and fresh, marinated veggies being readied for the grill, finding these wines was just right.

The first one I found was a wine from Spain that I really enjoy but hadn’t had in quite a while. It was a white from the predominately red wine region of Rioja, the Baigorri Blanco, made up of 95% of the local grape of the area, Viura, and 5% Malvasia. This wine is one that surprises most everyone that I have introduced it to, with its golden yellow color and wonderful nose of fresh, ripe fruits, butter and a hint of toast. In the mouth it shows flavors of spice, a touch of the oak barrels it is aged in and a wonderful balance of acidity, minerals and fruit. This is certainly a wine that most are not very familiar with and should be on your list of white wines to drink this summer--besides, it pairs with most everything you can think of to eat.

I also came across a bottle of Tenuta Cavalier Pepe, Terra del Varo Aglianico Irpinia. This is a wine from the Mediterranean region of Campania in southern Italy, grown in and around the mountain area of Irpinia. This is a medium- to full-bodied wine made from the grape Aglianico. Though this is a grape that can be quite tannic when it is young, this wine from Tenuta Pepe is very well-balanced and really shows itself as part of a meal. The Aglianico from Tenuta Pepe has very good acidity, even though it is from the warmer south of Italy, because the altitude of its mountain vineyards helps temper the hot growing days with cooler evenings. Rich and ripe, this wine will age well, but doesn’t usually last long enough to find out.

The white Rioja was spot on by itself, as we grilled the sirloin and veggies to eat with the Aglianico. Hopefully next time we’re looking for something a little different to open, we get as lucky…

Ken Amendola, ABC Fine Wine & Spirits wine supervisor

Follow me on Twitter @abcwinkena