Earlier this month I had the opportunity to meet with Lionello Marchesi and sample several of his wines at a tasting at Bellingham’s Giuseppe’s Italian Restaurant.

Marchesi owns three estates in the Tuscany region, located along Italy’s northern coast. He’s been described as one of his country’s most successful and charismatic winemakers and his wines have earned recognition from critics worldwide.

During the tasting, I commented to Marchesi on how wonderful his wines were. Without a hint of vanity and just a trace of a smile he replied, “I know.” This was clearly an expression of confidence and pride from a man at the pinnacle of 30 years of winemaking.

All of Marchesi’s wines are sangiovese or sangiovese-based and easily of the must-try caliber for lovers of this red wine varietal. Prices fall into either one of two categories: super affordable or super splurge.

At about $12 a bottle each, the Poggio Alle Sughere 2004 Morellino di Scansano and the Castello di Monastero 2005 Chianti Superiore are beautiful, highly drinkable wines with nuances of pomegranate, smoke and spice. They should pair well with a variety of antipasti meats and tomato-based pasta dishes.

A trio wines priced in the $52 to $57 a bottle range are nothing short of remarkable. The Castello di Monastero 2003 Infinito Rosso (blended with cabernet) and the Poggio Alle Sughere 2001 Splendido (blended with merlot) are prime examples of quality, super-Tuscan winemaking. These wines display intoxicating aromas of violets, dark plums and vanilla, with beautiful velvety flavors on the palate to back them up.

For Brunello lovers, the Coldisole 2003 Brunello di Montalcino is spectacular, with intense and robust flavors and a lengthy finish with hints of woodsy spices.

The Vines wine shop on Cornwall Avenue is a good place to begin your search for Marchesi’s wines, or ask for them by name at the wine section of grocers such as Haggen or the Food Pavilion and they can be ordered for you.

Try these wines. You will enjoy them immensely.

For the past several years I’ve been doing an annual update on the progress of Washington malbec, one of my favorite red wine varietals.

Although it’s been a mainstay as a stand alone varietal in South America for decades, malbec was virtually non-existent in the Pacific Northwest as little as ten years ago.

Today, malbec still accounts for only about 1.5 percent of all red wine grapes produced in Washington. While most of this is used for blending purposes (similar to France’s Bordeaux region) it’s becoming much easier to find it in wine shops and grocers under just the “malbec” label.

Earlier this month, I participated in a blind tasting of malbecs from Washington and Argentina with a group of friends. Of the seven wines tasted, the two entries from Washington were the overall group favorites.

I took part in a similar tasting format a couple of years ago and the results were identical. In that case, over 10 wines were sampled, and again, the two Washington malbecs scored highest against the remaining international entries.

Coincidence? Unlikely. Yes, the Washington wines were at the higher end of the price scale, but that doesn’t always mean a better wine. Also, the concealed labels reduced the chances of participant biases entering into the scoring.

The top two wines in this month’s tasting were the Olsen Hills 2007 Malbec (about $20) and the Alder Ridge Vineyard 2006 Malbec (about $40).

The Olsen Hills was the top scorer, and it’s produced by Olsen Estates out of Prosser. Many tasters liked the wine’s earthy, berry-like fragrance, well-rounded flavors of cherry, strawberry and toasted coconut, and a soft, plush finish with just the right touch of tannins and acidity. The wine was purchased at Purple Smile Wines in Fairhaven.

The Alder Ridge Malbec, from Washington’s Horse Heaven Hills Appellation, was another favorite. The wine’s butterscotch/berry aroma was remarkable, and the full-bodied flavors of strawberry and spice were also noteworthy. There’s excellent cellaring potential here, although the wine’s production was limited to only 100 cases.

Thurston Wolfe 2007 (about $28): If you enjoy Spanish-based red wine varietals, give this Tempranillo from Thurston Wolfe winery in Prosser a try.

The grapes were sourced from the Destiny Ridge Vineyard in Washington’s Horse Heaven Hills Appellation. Blended with a splash of Syrah, the wine displays ample flavors of dried cherry, touches of spice and toasted oak, and supple tannins. It’s a bit on the hot side, a minor quibble that can easily be smoothed over with a serving of beef or a spicy stew.

A scant 100 cases were produced, and the wine is only available for purchase at the tasting room…which is one great reason to pay it a visit.

A couple of weeks ago I talked about the virtues of a good food/wine pairing. The basic rules are simple – note the seasonings, spices and sauces used in preparing the food before selecting the wine, look for complements and contrasts, and be sure that neither the food nor the wine overwhelms one another.

Today I’ll give you some specific pairings that I enjoyed while visiting two local restaurants.

Tivoli, located at 1317 Commercial Street in downtown Bellingham, has recently released its fall menu. I couldn’t resist trying the Dungeness crab and morel mushroom macaroni and cheese, served with a Dr. Loosen 2008 Riesling ($7 a glass, $28 a bottle).

Pairing riesling with macaroni and cheese might seem like an odd choice, but it really worked to perfection. That’s because the wine’s natural acidity cuts through the creamy texture of the mascarpone and Gruyere cheeses, allowing you to taste both the food and the wine. Its slightly sweet finish also complements the gentle sweetness of the crab, resulting in a heavenly food/wine combination.

Scotty Browns, located at 2200 Rimland Drive in Barkley Village, currently features a Montinore Estate 2008 Pinot Gris ($8 a glass, $31 a bottle). With a gentle fragrance of fresh pears, this Oregon white wine paired well with an appetizer of salt and pepper dry ribs.

Again, the acidity of the wine cuts through the crispy, fatty goodness of the ribs, and the black pepper seasoning really contrasts nicely with the faint sweetness on the wine’s finish.

Of course, you don’t always have to go out to eat to practice your food and wine pairings. For me, a recent stay-at-home dinner of roast beef with a seasoning of fine herbs was a terrific match with the Barrister Winery Rough Justice (retailing for about $20 a bottle).

This red wine blend from the Spokane winery is loaded with dark fruit flavors and touches of smoke and spice. Ample tannins easily allow the wine to stand up to a beef entrée without being overbearing.

Bellingham Bay Rotary Club is presenting Grape & Gourmet, its annual gastronomic extravaganza on November 1.

This is one of the largest and well-attended food and wine events in Bellingham. Dozens of Northwest wineries plan to participate including Lost River Winery, Montinore Estate, Thurston Wolfe, San Juan Vineyards, Windy Point Vineyards, Yellow Hawk Cellar, and Kiona Vineyards, as well as locals Mount Baker Vineyards and Chuckanut Ridge Wine Company.

Most wineries will feature at least two to three different wines, and your tasting glass can be taken with you at the end of the evening as a souvenir.

An added bonus: wines will also be available for purchase by the bottle upon exiting the event. So if you find something you like during the tasting, you can order it, pick it up on the way out, and enjoy it later.

Unlike some wine festivals where you’re provided with just a token smattering of breads and cheeses, Grape & Gourmet never fails to disappoint by also offering generous food samples from several Whatcom County restaurants, giving the event a true local flavor.

The event will be held at the Best Western Lakeway Inn from 6:45 to 8:30 pm, with tickets running $75 per person. By purchasing a VIP ticket for an additional $50, you’ll have early access beginning at 5:00 pm. A portion of the ticket proceeds will be used to provide funding for charitable projects throughout the community that are supported by Bellingham Bay Rotary Club.

If you’re a typical Bellinghamster who procrastinates about making plans, don’t delay on this one, because the event is always at or near capacity. For festival related questions and additional information, email Bellingham Bay Rotary Club member Bill Gorman at Bill_Gorman@cable.comcast.com. Tickets can also be purchased at any Natural Way Chiropractic location: 2000 North State Street in Bellingham, 1943 Main Street in Ferndale, or 102 Grover Street, Suite 100 in Lynden.