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BARTENDER'S
WINE EXPERT: JOSEPH DELISSIO |
GREAT WHITES FOR SUMMER
by Joseph DeLissio |
Every season brings with it, a changing of the guard. Winter football turns into spring with all of its March Madness (Go Jayhawks). March Madness yields to the boys of summer, and baseball. Snow blowers are retired, and the lawn mower makes its annual appearance. Soups, stews, and warming roasts give their culinary way to the barbeques, picnics, and Italian ices.
Wine too has a passing of the baton as winter’s heavy, full bodied, high alcohol red wines climb into the back seat giving lighter, lower alcohol, and higher acidity white wines their chance in the driver’s seat. The fact that white wines are served chilled is certainly one reason for warm weather enjoyment. Another factor is their higher levels of that crisp, lip smacking acidity, more lemony pucker power to be exact. It is this refreshing acidity that will keep you (and your customers) coming back for more. Just try staying awake after a few glasses of Amarone or Chateauneuf du Pape on a hot August day.
When it comes to summer drinking, however, not all white wines are created equal. Big, heavy, overly oaked Chardonnays can also be a tough swallow. So, in hopes of making your patrons summer drinking a tad easier (and for you, a tad more profitable), BARTENDER® Magazine has compiled an A list of white wines for this summer.
SAUVIGNON BLANC
My top white wines of summer are produced from the Sauvignon Blanc grape. Made in several styles my preference for summer drinking is the clean, crisp, weedy, unoaked version. New Zealand produces some of the greatest Sauvignon Blanc values in the world. Crossing Vineyards, Nobilo, and Babich Vineyards offer excellent Sauvignon Blanc bang for the buck. From the Loire region of France comes the Sauvignon Blanc grape, and it is from this same grape that the famous Sancerre and Pouilly Fume wines are made. California produces several good examples as well: Mondavi, Markham Vineyards, and Grgich Hills Winery are good examples.
SPANISH ALBARINO
From the northwest coast of Spain in a region called Galicia, a light refreshing honeysuckle scented wine called Albarino is cultivated. Nora, Martin Codax, and Burgans are excellent producers of this less known but delicious wine.
PINOT GRIGIO
Italy’s most popular white wine is usually a safe choice that will seldom disappoint. Though not usually very complex, Pinot Grigio goes down soooo easy in the summer. Pinot Grigio is usually an excellent value as well, although some popular brands, Santa Margarita for instance, have become a bit overpriced. For great value try Mezza Corona, Plozner, and Alois Lageder.
GERMAN RIESLING
Riesling is considered by some, the most versatile white wine grape in the world, with its greatest examples hailing from the Mosel and Rhine regions of Germany. Stylistically, Riesling can be produced from a very dry style to extremely sweet versions. With aromatics described as floral, peachy, oily, and perfume, Riesling is an excellent choice for summer drinking. German Rieslings are usually low in alcohol, high in acidity, and posses some degree of sweetness. Some very good German producers are Selbach, Dr. Loosen, and St Urban Hof.
CHARDONNAY
If you must have Chardonnay, have ones with less fatiguing oak and ones with higher alcohol levels. Macon from France is a good choice that not only is overlooked but undervalued as well. Chablis is another, though somewhat more pricey choice, also from France. If you must have a little lumber in your wine, Australia’s Penfolds Winery produces some excellent and reasonably priced Chardonnay.
CHAMPAGNE & ROSÉ
Of course, we should not forget the many pleasures of Champagne and rosé wines for summer drinking. South Africa’s Mulderbosch Winery makes a wonderful and very affordable rosé of Cabernet Sauvignon, while the Champagne House Heidsieck Monopole produces a very tasty non-vintage Champagne.
“DRINK WELL”
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