This Charles Smith 2007 Riesling from Washington State, Kung Fu Girl, is a great budget Riesling. With Asian pear, white peach and flowery tones on the nose and a palate of apricot, pear, a little citrus and some minerality in this off-dry Riesling, this wine combines just enough sweetness for an enjoyable summer wine. It definitely is not as acidic as those from Germany or France.

This wine pairs well with Asian food - and not because of the “name.” It makes a great picnic or camping wine because of the ease of the screwtop. It makes a great first course wine for informal get-togethers. Or, try it with a simple brunch or summer day lunch.

Shown here with seared tuna on a bed of spinach, bean sprouts and pineapple and topped with a soy, lime, ginger, and cilantro dressing and garnished with green onion tops, the combination was a wonderful warm summer evening meal out on the patio.

for camping and picnicing.

I was perusing my local liqour store a few weeks ago in anticipation of a boat camping trip and found the Big House wine display. I promptly bought several bottles, all with screw tops, and once camping I realized just how convenient the screw top was, not just for opening, but for saving the unfinished bottle. I have cork screws everywhere, including in our camp utensils, in the boat, in the truck, and several at home, but fumbling around with a corkscrew while reclining in a lounger isn’t always easy at the end of a long hot day at Lake Powell. Afterall, who needs any delays in getting the wine bottle open?

The “Prodigal Son” is a petite syrah from the Paso Robles area full of blackberry and smooth on the finish. Admittedly, Gloria and I like our wine while sitting back watching sunsets and before dinner but the wine would pair nicely with grilled meats, BBQ, and frankly with any red meat or well seasoned poultry.

And the labels are great, both the artwork and the descriptions.

In addition to the “Prodigal Son,” try “The Slammer” and/or the “Big House Red” (a blend of a dizzying array of reds - too many to list here).

I’ll do some short reviews of these other Big House wines in the near future - they’re all good.

I’m a little late with this, I know. Blame my hardwood floors. We refinished two rooms in our downstairs over Memorial Day weekend, and were out of the house for a good four days. So, no cooking in my stinky Varathaned kitchen during that time. But all that’s over with now. The floors are beautiful. The kitchen in is mine.

Once again, I must say how impressed I was by all of the recipes. (For the full list, click here.) I do have a definite winner for this round though. And the winner is:

Bitchin Camero’s Basil Lime Shrimp with Plantains. Fabulous recipe, Mel!

I’m off on vacation now, so the cook-off is going into hiatus. Check back in July or August for another round.

In a blender, combine:

1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries

½ to ¾ cup raspberry lemonade

1/3 cup ice cubes

1 tsp. honey

1 tbsp. fresh mint leaves

Blend until smooth. Pour into a tall glass and garnish with a sprig of mint.

Serving size: 1