28 May Summer Wines by Doctor Somm
Summer is here and that means we need to put away our big red wine favorites and dust off all those amazing summer wines that we have all stored away. There’s way more out there than just rosé for the summer and I’m going to go through some of my favorites in this short blog about summer wines.
I’m gonna start with the whites. Always go for thirst quenching whites that have high acidity. High acidity in a wine means that you’ll have a mouthwatering feel when you’re done taking a drink. It’s like the feeling you get when you put a lemon in your mouth. Your mouth waters after you’re done tasting the lemon. That acidity is important because it makes the wine perfect for hot weather. It’s easy to drink and quenches your thirst. The other great thing about summer whites is the explosion of flavors that usually accompanies these wines.
My three favorite Whites are:
1. Muscadet. This is a wine produced in the Loire Region of France. These are typically brightly mineral whites that are beautiful wines with Summer seafood especially shellfish. Next time you have shrimp, oysters, or clams, open a Muscadet and impress your friends.
2. Riesling. Riesling wines are amazing. They have gotten a bad wrap in America at times because people often think all Riesling wines are syrupy sweet. You definitely do not need to go with a sweet Riesling. They make bone dry Rieslings that can be some of the most amazing summer wines you can taste. Rieslings have an almost electric quality. They have an amazing acidity and flavors of citrus peel, white and yellow flowers, tropical tones and intense minerality.
3. Gruner Veltliner. These wines should be considered a summer classic. The wine itself hails from Austria. It’s thirst quenching and friendly and can be easily gulped down. The wines often show qualities of pepper, grapefruit, and flowers.
Even though I started this blog by saying there is more out there for summer than just Rosé wine, who are we kidding?Summer wouldn’t be the same without Rosé. It’s the quintessential summer wine.
The classic rosés are usually from the south of France in the Provence Region. Provence Rosé can be costly, but you can find good quality and value if you look. These wines have flavors of peach, summer fruit, and they’re great with salads, cheeses, and mild grilled foods.
There are actually amazing Rosé wines coming out of California now a days. These are typically made from Syrah grapes but you can also see Grenache, Cinsault, and Mourvedre used. California Rosé will offer more intensely bright fruit flavors compared to their French cousins. These flavors include tart strawberries, red raspberries and refreshing notes of mint.
Don’t be boring, Drink the good stuff. Life is too short!!
Doctor Somm