I’ve written many times before of my affection for all things rose’ and there is no better time to open a bottle of that sometimes pink, salmon colored or even orange hued wine than in the heat of the summer. And while it may seem counterintuitive to  pair rose’ with a hearty, meat-centric dish, I’m going to suggest you do just that.

Years ago, in a galaxy far, far away (actually a decade or so ago), I regaled the wine-obsessed creatures that read my vinous scratchings with a recipe for pork shoulder, also known as pork butt. With that barbecue-enhanced chunk of swine, I recommended you pair the dish with hearty red wines such as petite sirah, malbec or Chianti classico. I still favor using those types of reds to marry with the flavors of roasted meat such as pork shoulder. Butt just not in the summertime!

Is there any better time of the year than summer? I don’t think so, and today I’m going to regale you with a delightful summertime four-course menu, with accompanying wines, that you can enjoy on the deck or even at your Fourth of July picnic. So, fire up the grill, put a chill on the wines (even the reds) and relish the fruits of your labor.

Appetizer: Spicy Pimento Cheese and Veggies – Add a few splashes of tabasco to pimento cheese spread and slather it onto flatbread crackers or crostini, and/or serve it as a dip with olives, celery, carrots, sugar snap peas and other raw veggies.

When I find compatible wine and food combinations, I have to force myself to try different pairing options and think outside the box… er…bottle. I suppose it’s because I’m a firm believer in the old adage, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” so I am very reluctant to risk suffering through, heaven forbid, a meal where the wine and food pairing is not simpatico. That would be as devastating and unpalatable as a loss to Pitt on Homecoming Day in Morgantown.

It’s all about priorities, and mine are rooted in hedonism and the endless search for gustatory nirvana. So, it is sometimes difficult for me to pass up tried and true combo’s like: grilled ribeye paired with a full-bodied, robust cabernet sauvignon; or lobster dunked in drawn butter and accompanied by a glass of rich and oaky chardonnay; or how about a silky pinot noir with roasted salmon or even a refreshing glass of sauvignon blanc with capellini slathered in a basil and pine nut pesto?

Homo sapiens are complex beings. We like to think that we know what we like, and then we change our minds and make choices that surprise us. Take wine for example. For years, I had an aversion to drinking  any type of sweet wine. But I  know that was  the result of too many traumatic youthful experiences with sugary, high-octane liquids pretending to be wine. And then, low and behold, I had the occasion to sip a late harvest riesling with dessert at a fancy restaurant and I realized that sweet wines, in moderation, can be truly enjoyable.

Yin and yang,  ebb and flow, hot and cold:  seemingly incongruous terms that oftentimes can complement each other. How about sweet and sour? “Agrodolce” (Ag-row-dole-chee) is a sweet and sour sauce that is featured in many Italian recipes to enhance meat and fish dishes. Today’s menu showcases a rendition of agrodolce that combines its sweet and sour components to enhance the delectable flavor of roasted pork.

Discovering the symbiotic relationship between wine and food is one of life’s exquisite pleasures. While I’ve always enjoyed eating, I was not always a fan of wine. As a matter of fact, it took me several years to realize that wine could be more than just an inferior substitute for beer or hundred proof vodka. It wasn’t until after I returned from an all-expense paid tour of southeast Asia (courtesy of the US Army) that my plebian palate experienced the alluring, complex and addicting characteristics of wine.

At that time, I was pursuing a graduate degree at WVU, and my wife and I were celebrating a special occasion at the Montmartre – Morgantown’s fanciest restaurant of the day located in the basement of the Hotel Morgan. I had ordered a beer to accompany my filet of beef, but the waiter suggested a glass of red wine instead. I was about to decline until he said that if I didn’t like the wine, I wouldn’t have to pay for it.  I accepted his offer, fully expecting to be disappointed. I was not. The wine by itself was tasty, but in combination with my steak, the dining experience was sublime. That epiphany changed the way I thought about wine – and food. As a result, I’ve been on a life-long mission to find and experience exceptional food and wine pairings.

I’m issuing a critically important alert to folks who share my gender: Valentine’s Day is fast approaching, and you better be ready!

Men, believe me when I say that special person in your life takes this annual holiday VERY seriously. I learned this the hard way several years ago when I arrived home from work one day to find the house dimly lit with candlelight, and the rooms suffused with heavenly aromas of freshly baked bread. On the dining room table was a carafe of red wine, a rose in a vase with a Hallmark card the size of an aardvark leaning against it. Could I have entered the wrong home? Was I in a parallel universe?

I recently visited California and the vineyard that annually provides the grapes I use to make homemade wine. For the last five years, the quality of those wines has far exceeded anything I’ve ever made before, and I wanted to meet the people that grow the grapes. The Lanza family vineyards are in Solano County just a quick 30- minute drive east of the Napa Valley. More specifically, the Lanza property is located in the Suisun (pronounced Sue-Soon) Valley.

I met with Ron Lanza, the oldest of four brothers, that manage the business, and who have sold their grapes for decades to some of the most prestigious wineries in northern California such as Caymus. In fact, because of the quality of the grapes in the Suisun Valley, Caymus built a tasting facility adjacent to the Lanza vineyards. The Lanza’s also have their own winery, Wooden Valley, and four generations of the family have been making wines there for 90 years. The wines are only available for sale at the tasting room, or through their online tasting clubs. If you’re interested, you can go to their website at: woodenvalley.com. Their wines are uniformly excellent.