Entertaining Wines For The Summertime

Wines typically enjoyed in the warm summer months tend to be light, have some acidity and are fruity. Popular white wines include Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. The first two are light and offer good acidity. Chardonnay tends to be a bigger style and is not as acidic. Both styles are popular with guests. The trend setting challenge is to offer wines that are similar in style but potentially new to your guests. The following two white wine suggestions may accomplish this:Pine Ridge is a quality California winery, probably best known for their Napa Valley Cabs. They also offer a unique white wine that is a personal favorite – a Chenin Blanc & Viognier blend. This wine is reasonably priced and consistently receives 90 point ratings from Robert Parker. Chenin Blanc is a light, acidic wine with honeyed fruit notes. Viognier is a more full bodied style with lush apple and pear notes with floral aromas. So, this wine combines the three ideal summer wine elements, and is a good substitute for fans of Pinot Grigio and Sauvignon Blanc. The next white comes from the Sokol Blosser Winery in Oregon, best known for their Pinot Noir wines. They produce a unique wine called Evolution 9, a blend of 9 different white wine varietals. It is complex, has a medium to full body, has some acidity, offers tropical fruit notes and is an intriguing substitution for Chardonnay fans.Red wines can be more challenging in the summer. Many reds are too heavy and tannic to enjoy during these hot months. The one exception would be pairing grilled steaks with Cabernet Sauvignon, a quintessential pairing year round. With this exception noted, many summer menus call for a light, less tannic wine that offers a refreshing experience. Some reds can be served slightly chilled, including Beaujolais, Pinot Noir and Argentinean Malbec. These wines are light to medium bodied, have low tannin levels and are fruity. This makes these wines very versatile, as they are easy sippers and pair well with most summer menus. I’m a big fan of California Pinot Noirs and the movie Sideways helped popularize this wine in America. Since Pinots are a familiar wine, let’s pick something different.Malbec is another versatile red wine and is Argentina’s claim to fame in the wine world. Argentinean Malbec is less tannic than French Malbec, has a dark purple color, a soft texture, fruity flavors, some spice notes and aromas of violets. It is often paired in Argentina with steak. Bodega Norton offers consistently high scoring wines at a reasonable price. The 2008 Reserva vintage scored 90 points with the Wine Spectator and is a personal favorite. The 2007 Reserva vintage was included in the Wine Spectator’s Top 100 Wines of 2010! Another one to look for is Dominio Del Plata’s Susan Balbo 2008 vintage, with a 91 point rating from the Wine Spectator. A third choice is the 2008 Benegas Malbec. This winery consistently achieves a 90 point rating from Robert Parker.Offer these wines to your guests and there is sure to be some happy faces and interesting conversation. Your home entertaining is sure to create a buzz with these crowd pleasers, as variety is the spice of life.