There are some wines that just work well on their own. Wine writers and sales people sometimes call them “patio sippers” which isn’t really something I’ve latched onto to be perfectly honest. Most any wine can be a “patio sipper” and it depends entirely on what you like about a wine.

Another wine term (let’s start calling them cliché’s) that I’m not fond of is “easy drinking”. Are some wines really difficult to drink? Do you really have to work harder to swallow some wines rather than others? What makes a wine easier to drink than others?

Perhaps why these expressions have been created is to explain a wine that doesn’t require a lot of preparation. There might be occasions when you just don’t have the time, energy, location, or resources to prepare oysters on the half shell every time you want to sip Chablis. Want to have meritage every night but can’t be bothered to have huge lamb and meat dishes each day? Relax, there are some wines that don’t need specific food pairings to fully appreciate what they have to offer.

(Yes, I am one of those people who tries to pair wines appropriately with food. I get more enjoyment from both the food and the wine that way. If you want to drink Pinot Blanc with your rack of lamb because it’s your choice, go for it. I’m not going to stop you from missing out on something.)

The Intrigue Gewürztraminer is one of those wines that really doesn’t need food to make it tasty. It’s totally tasty on its own, and it knows it. It’s got tons of flavour and some sweetness which makes it a great candidate for drinking with spicy foods. But even without any food, it’s great to have as a drink to sip on its own.

You know, like when you’re sitting on a deck. Or maybe an enclosed deck-like location behind your house.

Cheers from wine country!

~Luke