Pairing whites with the thermometer – summer edition
The other day, I was waiting for a train or a plane, flipping through magazines at a newsstand. I picked up the August copy of Food & Wine and saw Ray Isle’s fun, simple graphic suggesting changing white wines as the weather heats up.
Since I wrote a whole book centered on pairing wine with the seasons, I applaud all outdoor-temperature related pairings, which add more of the context of consumption. Generally, as the temperature rises, I prefer wines with leaner structure and lower price tags; here’s how I sliced up this summer more or less. It feels wrong to exclude fun wines such as Muscadet, riesling (!), assyrtiko, albarino or txakolina but there’s always next year–and raising a glass to parsimony.
Heat: 60°. Chenin Blanc
Layered and rich, a good example will turn heads.
Try: Domaine Huet, any of the 2007s or 08s, which start around $25.
Heat: 70°. Godello
Excellent mineral qualities combine with richness in this grape indigenous to northern Spain.
Try: Benaza, godello, 2008, $13
Heat: 80°. Gruner Veltliner
Gruner Veltliner of Austria is clean and refreshing, the uncola. No caffeine, never had it, never will.
Value: Berger, 2009 one liter $12, now with a crown (beer) cap
Heat: 90°. Vinho verde
Vinho verde is cheap, low in alcohol and gulpable.
Try: Aveleda Fonte, 2009 at $6
Heat: 100°. beer
Beat the heat and try a local lager or a Kolsch. I had an excellent one from Captain Lawrence Brewing Co ($12.50 for a growler).
Heat: 110°. Get some AC
And sparkling water.
How have you sliced up your summer whites?
On August 19th, 2010 at 11:03 am ,zoltanszabo (Zoltan Szabo) wrote:
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@drvino love it “Heat: 110° Get some AC and sparkling water” [link to post]
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On August 19th, 2010 at 11:06 am ,Goddess of Wine wrote:
Good post. I am trying to drink some of the whites and ros̩s in my cellar this summer, but I also just cool my reds a few more degrees. Sometimes I just pop the bottle in ice for 20 minutes Рvery refreshing!
On August 19th, 2010 at 11:08 am ,ljh wrote:
This summer, I really like Huet’s Vouvray Secs; de Fieuzal Blanc; and all manner of 09 french rose. All work when it’s hot and humid but I really like a Bell’s Oberon (beer) when it’s really gross out.
On August 19th, 2010 at 11:42 am ,Kevin Cedergreen wrote:
Your Aunt Martha had it right. Fill a glass with ice cubes, top with chilled Rose’ and enjoy summers’ heat. Refreshing, alcohol moderating, delish. Your somm buddies may flinch but hey, cool IS COOL! Millions of Aunties know a thing or two about what is what and that is where it’s at.
On August 19th, 2010 at 1:24 pm ,RobinC wrote:
Don’t forget Champagne and Prosecco.
On August 19th, 2010 at 9:22 pm ,Dr. Vino wrote:
Hi LJH – I’m curious which 09 French rosés you’ve enjoyed? The vintage has sadly seemed overripe to me in the couple of dozen that I’ve tried.
On August 20th, 2010 at 8:51 am ,Dave Erickson wrote:
Regarding ’09 rosés: One person’s “overripe” is another person’s “bold.” Maybe I’ve just been lucky, but I’ve been happy with just about every ’09 I”ve encountered out of Tavel, Costières de Nîmes, and a whole slew of vin-de-pays-du-gard. (Haven’t run across an exceptional Bandol, though…)
Meanwhile: At 80 degrees F, give me an ’08 Sancerre! At the end of a hot, muggy day, a bottle of Lucien Crochet was better than beer: Chock full of lime and minerals, it was positively bracing.
On August 20th, 2010 at 3:00 pm ,Farzaneh wrote:
Half white half club soda is also excellent.
On August 22nd, 2010 at 2:37 pm ,M "Vignoles" Levy wrote:
Having recently been in the Finger Lakes enjoying extraordinary wine, and 90 degree days? A glass, no a chalice of Swedish Hill sparkling Riesling. It’s an elixir to the Gods. Or Lucas Vignoles, Knapp Vidal Blanc, Red Newt anything…or the fabulous Finger Lakes distillery Gin with cumcumber water, air conditioning, and a “Law & Order” marathon. Or a slightly chilled Chamborcin from Missouri, or my summer favorite, a “Prosecco” slushy; Prosecco with scoop of watermelon sorbet in it.Or any Rose always…..I wont even go into my favorite chilled reds…If you see me with what looks like a popicsle? It’s most likely a Dolcetto Pop!
On August 23rd, 2010 at 12:17 pm ,Joel Burt wrote:
I would skip the beer and grab a Campari + soda and a nice orange slice instead of beer as the thermometer hits 100.
On August 23rd, 2010 at 7:56 pm ,Kimberly wrote:
90 degree heat and Vinho Verde — yes, these two things do definitely go together!! I’ve lost count of how many 95+ days with high humidity here in the South have had me drinking Vinho Verde out on my patio. And thank goodness for the low alcohol, cuz that stuff goes down as easy as you please on a hot summer day, and before you know it, the entire bottle has simply evaporated. 😉
On August 24th, 2010 at 9:25 am ,Cybercellar wrote:
ha ha, good slice, although you missed something crucial… South African vino!
Here’s our slice of summer whites:
Heat: 60°. Chenin Blanc
Slightly wooded i.e. South African Ken Forrester Chenin Blanc 2008
Heat: 70°. Chenin Blanc
Unwooded i.e. South African Raats Original 2009
Heat: 80°. Sauvignon Blanc
Aged i.e. Bouchard Finlayson SB 2008
Heat: 90°. Sauvignon Blanc
Constantia Buitenverwachting SB 2009
Heat: 100°. beer
Agree with you there 🙂
Heat: 110°. Get some AC
🙂
Jen@cybercellar
On August 25th, 2010 at 9:10 am ,Good Reads Wednesday « Artisan Family of Wines wrote:
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