Value Wine: A Unique Summer Cuvee

I can’t resist offering up a third Value Wine this month with our theme of hosting a summer wine dinner:   the Peju Provence NV from Napa Valley.  Available on Peju’s website (www.peju.com) for $22, the Peju Provence NV may be the ideal answer to the question of what refreshing wine to serve a Cabernet Sauvignon fan when the temperature gets into the 90’s and above.  Provence is a deceptively simple proprietary blend of finished Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Zinfandel red wine with Chardonnay and French Colombard from Napa and Mendocino sourced grapes.   Peju recommends that you chill the Provence as you would a white wine, and it pairs beautifully with BBQ, burgers and spicy foods such as fajitas!   Provence shows a delicious red fruit nose with a refreshing, dry finish that demands a second glass.  Your humble Sleuth confesses that this one is a seasonal house favorite.   To quote Peju’s singular yodelmeister Alan Arnopole, “Chill it, swill it and kill it!”—you’ll be glad you did!