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The Rhone Report: About Rhone and Rhone-Style Wines and Winemakers is part of an ongoing series.

The 16th annual Hospice du Rhone events in Paso Robles, California from May 1 to 3, 2008 was an opportunity to consider Rhone-style wines from a fresh perspective.  Unlike most tasting opportunities, these events included Rhone-style wines from the Rhone Valley itself (51 wineries), elsewhere in France (4 wineries) as well as from Spain (4 wineries), Australia (17 wineries), South Africa (6 wineries), Chile (2 wineries), Argentina (1 winery) and the United States.  The American wines were mostly from California (144 wineries), but a few examples from Arizona (2 wineries) and Washington State (5 wineries) were also included.  While this is a California-dominated event, and while many of the Rhone Valley’s best producers aren’t represented, there is still sufficient European and other entries to make for interesting comparisons and contrasts.  The events included two general tastings and a series of focused seminars.

Summertime is the season of backyard barbecues and grilled steak. IntoWine.com asked our panel of wine experts to recommend a red wine to pair with that summertime staple, grilled steak:    

"BBQ season is well entrenched and a modern rustic wine is the ideal for a good old grilled steak! Crasto Douro Red. This wine is lovely. From an old Portuguese winery, combining the traditional winemaking with the modern skills of an Australian winemaker, there is no wine better qualified to call out “chuck another steak on the bar-b”. Crasto uses indigenous grapes, such as Touriga Nacional and Tinta Roriz to create a well structured, solid, yet fruit forward earthy combination. Well seasoned or well cooked, bloody to overcooked, Crasto’s Douro Red is my selection – and a bargain at under $20! Even though it is summer, don’t forget to finish with Port…on a clear summer night, lay back on the grass, watch the shooting stars and sip the Port and imagine you are lying on the terraced vineyard overlooking the dark, forbidding Douro river…or, if you are in San Francisco, freeze and wish you had a summer!" - Bartholomew Broadbent, CEO, Broadbent Selections, San Francisco

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"Grilled meats, or more specifically grilled steak, always conjers up one word for me.

Summertime.  For many of us that is the time for a cool white wine.  Of course many of them are produced in Italy.  One of the more commercially successful whites is the Pinot Grigio from Italy.  Specifically, those produced in the north-eastern province of Trentino-Alto Adige.  Surrounded the Alps and Dolomites, and bordering Austria and Switzerland, this is the northern most region in Italy.  The area is mountainous with only about 15% of the land being farmable.

Muscat Beaumes de Venise is a light and sweet nectar of the Gods, with an aroma of rose petals and tropical fruit and a taste of candied oranges dripping with honey. It makes me glad for summer, because it is the perfect summer dessert wine.

The dog days of summer are once again upon us. Whether your remedy to beat the heat is a cool pool, a shade tree, or a blasting air conditioner, it always helps to have a relaxing beverage to help ease the pain. IntoWine.com asked our panel of wine experts to recommend refreshing white wines for those hot summer nights:    

"On a hot summer evening, I look for a chilled white wine.  I also find that if the wine has a bit of sweetness, it offsets the heat a bit.  My go-to wines on these evenings tend to be Rieslings.  Rieslings are one of the most versatile wines for matching with food.  They are especially great with light summer fare such as a salad or fish or fruit.  They also make easy sipping on their own.  For these casual spontaneous occasions, my favorites are the basic German offerings.  One of the best features these wines have is their low alcohol level.  Usually carrying less than 10% alcohol, these wines are not heavy nor do they leave you tipsy from a glass or two.  Right now the stores are filled with the marvelous 2005 vintage, the excellent 2006 vintage and are just starting to stock the very good 2007’s.  While there are some wonderful, but pricey offerings, the basic Dr. L from Dr. Ernest Loosen is available for around $10.  The Lingenfelder Bird label Riesling is only a couple of dollars more.  Both wines provide a lot of pleasure and don’t break the bank.  Perfect for casual sipping on a hot summer night." - Loren Sonkin, IntoWine Featured Writer 

Even if you’ve never heard of any other Spanish wine, chances are you’ve heard about cava.  This is due to the huge international presence of cava sparkling wines.  Freixenet and Cordoníu are the two best-known producers of cava and both wineries have done a marvelous job of marketing Spain’s sparkling wines outside of their home country.  In fact, Spain exports more than half of the sparkling wines it produces, according to the Peñin Guide to Spanish Wine 2007.

While beer is often the refreshing beverage of choice on the 4th of July, wine is increasingly more popular as a relaxing summertime refreshment. With wine's increase in popularity comes the challenge of finding a wine to serve that not only beats the heat, but pairs well with typical picnic fare. IntoWine.com asked our panel of wine experts for their thoughts on what wine to serve on the Fourth of July:

"For most folks, the 4th of July signifies celebration and a wide variety of outdoor picnic style foods. Grilled meats, a variety of salads, like potato or coleslaw, and grilled corn on the cob immediately come to mind. One style of wine that can effectively complement all of these flavor profiles is rosé. A well balanced rosé will provide the fruity richness to handle heartier fare (anything off the grill), while at the same time not over power the more delicate or sweeter dishes (corn or coleslaw) on the menu. Plus a refreshing glass of rose is a nice way to cool off on this warm weather holiday. A stellar choice would be the 2007 Château de Ségriès, Tavel Rosé $19.99." - Mulan Chan, Rhône and French Regional Buyer, K&L Wine Merchants

"There is one wine that surely must be the choice for the fourth of July - Madeira. Madeira is the wine that was used by the Founding Father's to Toast the Declaration of Independence. Betsy Ross had a side table with a glass of wine on it when she was sewing the flag.

Say “Oregon” and Pinot Noir comes to mind. Argentina? Malbec. And who can say “Shiraz” without thinking of Australia? But what grape will Washington wine country claim as it’s own as it expands in production and popularity? There are so many red treasures in this state, sometimes it is hard to say. But after my luscious Saturday tasting, I’m thinking Syrah and Merlot may duke it out for the prize.

Apulia (also called Puglia) is the region that makes up the southeast corner of Italy including the heel of the boot of Italy. Historically, Apulia has been a very large producer of wine often leading Italy in terms of quantity of wine produced. The wines produced there were rugged, rough and deeply colored, and not of high quality. Much of the production went into cheaper jug wines or was blended into generic wines. Often, the wines were scandalously blended into wines from the more premier wines of the north giving those wines deeper color and a bit of texture. Nevertheless, the locals liked their local wines. These wines, however, were rarely tasted outside their homeland as a serious individual bottle of wine.

What comes to mind when you think of Italian wine? Barolo, Sangiovese, Asti Spumante, or the popular rule-breaking Super Tuscans? I normally do. But a few weeks ago, I was re-introduced to Barbera in, of all places a winery on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State – hundreds of miles away from grape growing territory.

I was researching Mt. Townsend Creamery, an artisanal cheese making company in Port Townsend. Their three cheeses have become hugely successful in a short time