Wines for Warm Weather

There's just no getting around it, summer is white wine time. So why fight it? The fact is, whites go great with a wide range of summer foods, from cold salads to barbecued salmon. Here are just a few whites to try this summer. Albariño, a Spanish white, is refreshing and typically low in alcohol (great for afternoon barbecues). Sauvignon Blanc is perfect with fried chicken, grilled fish, vegetables, and all kinds of summer salads. And, of course, Chardonnay is a classic with grilled chicken, turkey burgers, and salmon. Try it on for size at a catfish fry, too!

• Albariño: grilled seafood, shellfish, spicy seafood dishes, grilled shrimp 
• Chardonnay: grilled chicken; turkey burgers with avocado; crab; grilled salmon, halibut, shrimp, or lobster;  fried catfish
• Sauvignon Blanc: fried chicken, salsa (particularly with cilantro) and Tex-Mex dishes, grilled white fish, grilled pork, grilled salmon, summer salads

Fear of rosé wine is a common malady afflicting American males. We think the girly color will somehow seep into our bloodstream and sissify us. I have friends who wouldn't touch a glass of pink-tinted wine if it were poured from the last bottle of wine on earth by a team of adoring Vegas showgirls. Like many fears, roséphobia is irrational. Just like the manly red wines my friends aren’t afraid to drink, rosés are made from red grapes. The difference is that with pink wines the grape juice is run off their color-giving skins early in the process before deep color builds. Rosés end up light, fruity, and refreshing, and they take to a nice chill. Rosés are also terrific food wines. There are great rosés from the South of France, Spain, Italy, California, and Washington State. They were practically made for backyard barbecues and picnics.

• Rosé: grilled meats (beef and pork), barbecued ribs and burgers, grilled shrimp, grilled seafood, grilled sausages
  
  

It's true that reds like Syrah and Zinfandel go great with barbecue, but on a hot day who needs their additional warmth? If you just can't do without red wines and rosé just won't cut it for you, try the lighter, brighter reds, like Pinot Noir, Beaujolais, or Barbera. These wines aren't as full-bodied as Zin or Syrah, they have some nice food-friendly acidity, and you can stick them in an ice chest to cool them down just a few degrees before serving, and they still taste great!

• Beaujolais: grilled meat, grilled salmon or tuna, Cheddar cheese burgers
• Pinot Noir: grilled salmon or tuna, grilled meats, grilled sausages
• Barbera: good barbecue, particularly pork ribs, grilled chicken, bacon cheese burgers