Summer is a time for adventures in wine. Gone are the cold days of winter, when we reach for the familiar because we need comfort. When the sun is shining, fresh foods are tempting us in the markets, and grilling season beckons, it’s time to re-vamp our vinous habits.
I make summer the time to explore wines I don’t normally sip: from crisp Vinho Verde from Portugal to zesty Spanish Alvarinho to intriguing Moscofilero from Greece, begging for some fresh seafood and vegetables. Fresh pesto reminds me to seek Arneis from Piedmont. And in-between, I try as many unfamiliar wines as I can find: from Croatian Malvasija to interesting blends from any corner of the world.
Note the travel theme: enjoying Chicago summers, on the lawn at a Millennium Park concert or on my rooftop deck, the wines transport me to faraway places with beaches, sand, and the Mediterranean sun.
Photo Credit: François Millo
And when my palate calls for a red, I reach for a thought-provoking Portuguese blend or an intriguing Spanish Monastrell, beckoning with aromas of unfamiliar flowers and far-away places. Dry Brachetto from Piedmont, chilled to perfection, wakes up the palate, and zesty Gamay from Beaujolais with a slight chill soothes the palate from spicy foods.
Summer is not a time for the wines we know we love. It’s a time to discover new loves, tease our palates with unfamiliar flavors, learn what’s in the glass, explore. Seek out wine making regions you’re not familiar with. Or in the ones you know, find wines you don’t know. Even producers you know and love might have wines you have never tried. It’s an adventure, quite fit for summer.
Summer might be the time to give that dry Riesling another chance: next to a zesty salad with citrus, it sings. Or go with its off-dry relatives who pair well with spicy foods. Even Chardonnay can surprise you: when we think we have discovered all its sides, one from Slovenia emerges, tasting nothing like what we expect. And this is the beauty of wine: there is always something new to discover.
So, taste, taste, taste. Free your mind of I-know-I-don’t-like-such-and-such thoughts and immerse yourself in the magical world of wine.
To start your summer adventures in wine, come to one of my wine classes or visit one of our retail locations. We have some great summer wines!
