Summertime has arrived and the weather just keeps getting hotter! Those pesky masks are being dropped and everyone is feeling festive and ready to get out and celebrate. So, what’s in your glass?
Finding the perfect wine to enjoy over the summer months shouldn’t be difficult. Simply take your cues from an icy glass of lemonade. The coolness of the drink and the high acid of the lemon juice bring instant enjoyment and refreshment. On a hot day, there’s nothing better. The same is true with wine. The best summer wines are served lightly chilled and have a refreshing zing of acid on the palate. These are wines that were created to be consumed young and fresh. Their cool, zippy flavors will brighten up any summer event and bring a smile to everyone’s face.
If you are seeking out something delicious and easy, you need not look much farther than a classic favorite, chardonnay. Chardonnay is considered a “noble grape” because its fine qualities are discernible and unique in chardonnay wine produced around the world. From France, where the chardonnay grape originated, to California, Australia, South America and beyond, chardonnay is produced in different styles and qualities to suit everyone’s taste and budget.
Chardonnay can be produced both with and without the use of oak. Old oak barrels are neutral and don’t affect the flavors of a wine. New oak barrels deepen the color of a chardonnay and lend to it toasty flavors and aromas of wood, spice, and vanilla. When crafted without the use of oak, in stainless steel tanks or cement vats, a chardonnay might have the aromas and taste of rich, golden apples, or tangy, tropical fruit. Part of the magic of Chardonnay is how it can appeal to many diverse palates.
If you like chardonnay but long to try something different and unusual, order up a glass of chilled vermentino! Vermentino hails from the island of Sardinia off the coast of Southern Italy. The most celebrated versions of this wine are Vermentino di Sardegna and Vermentino di Gallura. Vermentino offers a lovely floral nose and a palate of fresh white peaches. The wine has a pleasant minerality with flavors of Mediterranean herbs and a slight tang of sea salt. Nothing beats a crisp white wine on a steamy afternoon. Vermentino is delicious on its own or served with seafood and pasta. Now grown all over the world, vermentino is gaining in popularity and many lovely examples are grown right here in The Golden State.
If you’re a red wine enthusiast looking for a new favorite, try a glass of Barbera d’Asti. This light to medium-bodied red wine is fabulous in the summer months. The barbera grape hails from Northern Italy and is famous for its production in the little mountain town of Asti. Barbera is high in acid with a juicy palate of bright red cherries. This refreshing wine should be served lightly chilled and is a natural companion to meats and sausages as well as pastas and classic Italian fare. Like vermentino, barbera is now produced in many parts of the world and rapidly gaining in popularity.
Summer is an ideal time to travel and explore different regions of the world. But though the quarantine is over, and life is slowly returning to normal, a jaunt to parts unknown may not be in the cards for you this year. So put away your passport and pop open a bottle! Explore the world by way of a wine glass. This summer, allow yourself the pleasure of fine wine from around the globe. Cheers!
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