10 Tempting Summer Vinos

Summer is fast approaching, and with it a chance to indulge in some lighter wines. This is the time of year where cool and light are the watch words; where you automatically reach for a white vino. But wait, there are reds that will suffice during these long hot summer months, along with a few "blasts from the past" to consider.

 

The Tried and True

1) Sauvignon Blanc

This herbaceous wine is perfect with anything green: salads, herbs and veggies. Plus, it’s an excellent accompaniment with seafood and poultry. You could say it tastes like "summer in a bottle."

2) Riesling/Traminette

The perfect fruit fare wines; serve with strawberries, peaches, apricots and blueberries because these wines meld with fruit, offering their fresh, crisp and aromatic attributes to any meal – perfect for hot weather drinking.

3) Pinot Gris/Grigio

If you’re looking for a white wine that “shares the love” with summer foods, then grab a lightly chilled bottle of Pinot Gris and dig into a fresh cut watermelon, honeydew or cantaloupe, or try with lobster, crab and sushi.

For A Bolder Taste

4) Malbec

If you’re grilling bold flavors, match your wine to the main flavor profile; the meat itself, the sauce, or the marinade. If it’s a BBQ burger or a steak, you'll want a robust red. A non-oaked Malbec can make this meaty meal a delight without being too heavy.

5) Pinot Noir

If you’re grilling chicken or chops, a glass of Pinot Noir will play nicely with the food, thanks to its softer tannins. Although Pinot Noir is known for its elegance, it breaks out of its shell during the summer months and becomes the perfect “lounge around the pool” wine.

 

Perfect For Everyone

6) Rosé

This is the ‘one size fits all’ wine for summer. Rosé is food-friendly and can be served room temperature, or nicely chilled, and you can even try a sparkling version for that "Tiny Bubble" effect.

7) Sangria

Sangria is a fresh fruit wine cocktail; this cool, refreshing summer wine option provides those light, fruity flavors that beg to be enjoyed during the summer. Make your own using a chilled bottle of sparkling wine, or go with a bolder red wine like Cabernet or Merlot.

Old Fashioned Wines

8) Berry Wines

This is the wine our grandparents made: blackberry, raspberry, blueberry, strawberry and any variation thereof. Perfect with light nibbles like chocolate, and a variety of cheeses.

9) Stone Fruit Wines

This includes cherry, peach, apricot, nectarine and plum wines, which are usually crafted on the sweeter side. Most will pair nicely with Asian stir-fries and summer desserts like angel food cake, cookies, and cheesecake.

10) Flower Vinos

There’s a ton of flower wines that home winemakers love to make. If you’re talented enough to be make your own wine, or know of a home winemaker who will share, be sure to try a glass of dandelion, elderflower, chamomile, hibiscus, orange blossom, even marigold wine on a sultry day; each one will offer a real taste of summertime.

As Ray Bradbury wrote: “Dandelion wine. The words were summer on the tongue. The wine was summer caught and stoppered.”  Enjoy the abundance of the season!

~ Joy