There are so many things that we associate with summer – lazing around the swimming pool, cooking outdoors, picnics, friends, and of course wine. Anyone can drink beer or pack soda for a picnic, but why settle for the "same old" when you can have something crisp, fruity, sweet, refreshing, and a perfect complement to your summer menu? Here are a couple quick tips to think about before you choose that perfect summer wine.
Choose a Wine that is Light in Body inSummer
Most of us already know that you need to choose summer wines that are light in body. There is nothing worse on a hot summer day than being weighed down by a heavy drink of any variety. But this doesn't mean just white wines. There are a lot of light and crisp red wines that are fruity and sweet but not as heavy as you might think. A white Zinfandel is a great choice, as it's both light and crisp, and perfectly refreshing for your lighter summer meal.
Wine to Go with Your Menu Options
If you're having burgers, which are of course red meat, there's no reason you can't have a refreshing white wine. But a nice chilled glass of your favorite red can actually be a wonderful palate cleanser when enjoying your favorite outdoor meal. And there's nothing wrong with having a red wine that's been chilled. You never know what tradition you're going to start.
Of course your choice will depend heavily on your menu too. If you're opting for the typical lighter meal of fish and salad, then some red wines might be a bit too heavy, even if they are chilled. In this case you might do well sticking with the lighter wines when your menu is lighter as well.
Special Wines
Summertime is the best time to try some of those fruity wines that you might not have thought about trying before. Some of the best wines are made with strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, bananas, apples, and of course a good combination of these. Serving these wines chilled can be a perfect treat for a summer picnic or an afternoon relaxing by the pool.
Here are some of Food & Wine star summer selections:
- 2006 Montes Limited Selection Sauvignon Blanc ($14) – Montes, one of Chile’s best Sauvignon Blanc producers, makes this crisp, citrusy reserve bottling with grapes from the Leyda valley, close to the Pacific Ocean.
- 2004 Errazuriz Wild Ferment Chardonnay ($20) – Smoky, herbal and full of rich lemon-curd flavors, this sleek white is fermented with wild yeasts, which tend to create more exotic flavors and aromas than commercial strains.
- 2006 Susana Balbo Crios Rosé of Malbec ($19) – Star Argentine winemaker Susana Balbo uses old-vine Malbec grapes from the Agrelo subregion of Mendoza to create this lightly spicy, strawberry-inflected rosé.
- 2005 the Show Cabernet Sauvignon ($15) – This ebullient, cassis-driven Cabernet comes from the same trio of innovative wine professionals (including Napa Valley’s seemingly ubiquitous Joel Gott) who created the equally engaging Three Thieves label a few years back.
- 2001 Chivite Gran Feudo Reserva ($18) – Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot form the blend in this structured red from one of the oldest producers in Spain’s Navarra region. Its taste recalls wild boysenberries.
Source
- Food & Wine accessed July 2011
Shelly Thomson-Blevins - Shelly Thomson-Blevins is just a girl trying to balance love, life, and everything in between.
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