5 White Wines to Shake Up Your Summer
When the temps start topping 80, I’m wanting a glass of lightly chilled white wine. There are so many great choices, so why stick to Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio? They’re both great, but if you’re interested in expanding your horizons here are five whites worth checking out:
Gruner Veltliner
A light, crisp Austrian wine with mouthwatering acidity and flavors of grapefruit, lime and a touch of white pepper on the finish. It’s great with seafood, chicken or pork. The Forstreiter Gruner Veltliner we have in stock is only $12, so it’s a great buy.
Dry Riesling
We have a hard time selling people on riesling. People think of the German wines that are cloyingly sweet — the kind your mom drank in the ‘70s. If that’s not your thing, you may be surprised how much you enjoy dry riesling. We carry Forge Cellars, a small winery that grows its own grapes along the Finger Lakes in upstate New York. It’s an outstanding summer wine with white peach and chamomile notes. $20
Albarino
This Spanish white comes in a wide range of flavors from bright and acidic to more rounded and redolent of white peach. We carry Licia Albarino, which is more of the white peach type and lightly floral. $20
Vermentino
An Italian white made in Sardinia and Tuscany. It’s available in both oaked and un-oaked styles. We carry a Tuscan made by Tenuta, a vineyard on the coast. It’s un-oaked, bright, with notes of mandarin and lime, herbs and light minerality. It’s relatively high acidity makes it a great choice with seafood. $30
Vouvray
Made in France’s Loire Valley, this white is made with Chenin Blanc grapes. It also comes in a wide variety of styles from dry to sweet, still to sparkling. All of them have delicate floral aromas. La Craie Vouvray is a still, demi-sec (moderately sweet and fruity), un-oaked bottle that’s crisp, fruity and super easy-drinking. $20
Hopefully, something here intrigues you. We have a really nice selection of refreshing whites that won’t break the bank from France, Italy, Spain, the US and Australia. Stop in, tell us what you like, and let us help you find the perfect bottle for a relaxing summer night.
Got a question about wine? Let us know what you’d like to learn about.