Summertime, with it's sweltering heat and heavy
air, does something to a wine drinker's palate.
We no longer crave a tannic rich Cabernet, for
example. They tend to make us warm. During the
hot months, wine drinkers tend to crave wines
high in acidity. These livlier wines tend to be
more cleansing and refreshing. So, put away your
Merlots and Cabernets for the Summer, and join us
for a tour of some delightful summer substitutes.
No question about it, we Americans love our
Champagne! We drank about 35 million gallons of
it in 2006. This figure represents about a 20%
increase from 2001. We would probably drink alot
more of it, but it's price has risen right along
with it's popularity. An excellent, economical
substitute is a proseco from the Veneto region of
Italy. Proseco comes extra dry, or brut, which is
drier still. Heavy, creamy dishes such as
fettucine Alfredo, complement the lively, dry
quality of proseco. Proseco tends to cut through
the oiliness and richness of Salmon or even an
avacado. Proseco leaves us cleansed and refreshed,
and eager for the next bite!
Though sometimes a little too sweet, Spanish
Cavas are a great, bubbly alternative to
champagne. Extremely affordable, most cavas are
under 20 dollars. Most Cavas are made west of
Barcelona, in northeastern Spain. Cavas are
generally sparkling wines, however once in awhile
youll run across a rose. With aromas ranging from
apple to lemon, Cavas are one of the main reasons
that Spain is rapidly ascending in prominence in
the world of wines.
Although only slightly effervescent, Portugal'
s Vinho verde still qualifies as a choice
alternative to Champagne and an excellent summer
wine. Featuring a delicate lightness and a lower
alchohol content, Vinho Verde is perfect for hot,
summer days when the tendancy is to consume your
wine a little more quickly. Perfect for many
types of foods, Vinho Verde is usually quite
fruity, with citrus being the most common.
Generally a young wine, Vinho Verde has earned
the nickname "green" wine.
Beacause it lacks the harsh tannins of a
Cabernet, the full bodied spirit of a Grenache is
a good summer choice. Although most associate a
Grenache from France or Australia, Grenache is
grown in abundance in the Priorat region of Spain.
Grenache typically conveys accents of dark
fruits such as black plums or rasberries.
Californis, too has it's share of Grenache.
Interesting enough, Grenache complements a good
old fashioned burger as well as anything else!
In finishing our round-up of great summer
wines, we still have a few more that deserve
mention. Sauvignon blanc, particularly from New
Zealand, is a great summer choice. It features
just the right amount of acidity combined with
the goodness of gooseberry and grapefruit. The
ever popular pinot grigio, especially from Italy
is clean and wonderfully refreshing! A little
less well known is a Gruner Veltliner from
Austria. Gruners are wonderfully crisp and thirst
quenching. They are bone dry and are frequently
laced with green apple.
Needless to say, we have left out somebody's
favorite summer wine. For that we are sorry.
Hopefully we have included some wines that will
make this summer perfect for discovering new
favorites

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