Saturday, July 3, 2010, Myrtle Beach - If hamburgers and hot dogs don't say holiday to you, general manager and chef Jason Melchione of New York Prime in Myrtle Beach has a luxurious alternative.

"Since it's summer I'd go with a white wine," he said on July 2, "like Jordan Chardonnay. It's real crisp and has flavors of pear and green apple. It's real refreshing."

As for a meal to accompany that wine, Melchione suggests one of New York Prime's live Maine lobsters.

The winemaker's notes on the 2006 Jordan Chardonnay say:

"We hand picked the grapes in the cool mornings of the Russian River Valley. The juice was separated from the skins using our 'Willmes' press. Fermentation occurred in small French oak barrels (48% new) and the wine was aged sur lie for two months to add a creamy texture to the mid-palate. Total time spent in barrel was five months. Partial malolactic fermentation allowed the wine to retain its natural acidity – a hallmark of Russian River Valley fruit. This acidity contributes to the clean and distinctive finish of the wine.

"The bouquet offers delicate aromas of Fuji apple, citrus, nutmeg, honey, and lightly toasted oak. The wine delivers lively and complex flavors of Asian pear, key lime, and Marcona almond. These refined notes offer a seamless expression of rich, bold flavors with a long, elegant finish. This wine will be delicious upon release and will continue to gain honeyed richness with an additional 3 to 5 years of aging. Serve between 55 and 60 degrees to ensure the full flavor development."