It is too easy to rely on Chardonnay. It is arguably the world's greatest white wine grape, and there are hundreds of offerings (many dreadful) to choose from. So most people look for a good Chardonnay and go no further. 'Tis a pity. There are wonderful alternatives to Chardonnay that will broaden your wine sense; wines that are more reasonable in price and more refreshing to drink in the summertime. That said, we didn't have an easy time in our search for GWBs in non-Chardonnay whites. We tasted a lot of highly recommended white wine and were very disappointed in most cases. But we were diligent in our efforts (strictly on your behalf, of course) and found some very nice wines that should surprise, challenge and delight you and your friends. They are great alternatives to Chardonnay. Give them a try.
The wines we've chosen below are summer wines. Wines to drink for a day at the beach, on a picnic or at a barbecue. These are wines to be shamelessly enjoyed, not saved or cellared or pondered. Most are very different from each other but have two things in common: They are absolutely delicious and each is a great wine bargain (GWB). Enjoy and let us know what you think. Or tell us what you didn't like. But at least give us credit for drinking an enormous amount of wine strictly on your behalf.
2004 Burgans, Albariño (Spain)
This is a nice wine, hard to dislike. Pale yellow color leads to soft tropical fruit flavors on the nose. It's lightly floral with tastes of melon and a squeeze of citrus. It's more gentle than aggressive but has a little bite at the back of the throat to let you know you are alive. Perfect with simple seafood dishes and will please guests who drink it as your cocktail white. Generally less than $10 a bottle.
Nigl, Gruner Veltliner Kremser Freiheit (Austria)
This is a classy, medium-bodied white with no sharp elbows. The nose offers a delicate honeysuckle scent with a touch of pears and cream. First impression in the mouth is slightly sweet but nicely balanced with citrus and coconut and floral flavors. Perfect with light-flavored chicken, veal or seafood dishes. About $14 a bottle.
Evolution, 9th Edition, Sokol Blosser (Oregon)
This is a blend of nine grapes that I suspect is meant to emulate the highly successful Caymus Conundrum. They do a good job in their own way. It's very slightly sweet with a spiced apple nose. The flavors are lovely--baked apples with honey butter and a lemon spritz. It is beautifully balanced with a slightly creamy finish. A great cocktail white that will do well with saucy or spicy chicken, pork and seafood dishes. About $14.
2005 St. Urbans-Hof, Riesling (Germany)
Riesling is another wine about which Americans have a bias. As a rule these wines are very floral and often slightly to significantly sweet--very different from the Chardonnay/Pinot Grigio wines that our palates have become accustomed to. But, they are among the world's greatest, most delicious and food-friendly wines and certainly worthy of experimentation. The St. Urbans-Hof is a great place to start. It begins with a soft floral nose with hints of pears and lime. Then it surprises your palate with a bracing rush of slightly sweet-very tart, citrusy flavors. It's a great wine for spicy-saucy foods like Chinese or Mexican, but also just a pleasure to sip alone. About $10.
A final word about availability: You may not find every wine in your favorite store, but you should be able to find them at another store in your town. Or your merchant can order them for you. If that fails, search the Internet. They are there.
Tom Ryder is the former chairman of the Reader's Digest Association and co-owner of The Cookhouse restaurants in Connecticut, and has been a wine aficionado for decades. He's been lucky enough to taste many stellar wines in some of the finest wine regions of the world.
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