Summer Whites

Well…it’s heating up isn’t it? Summer is almost here and school is out, or soon will be, coinciding with my fading desire for red wine and creamy/buttery Chardonnay. While Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio are summer staples, this is a good time to look around the world for other whites.

A good place to start is the Iberian Peninsula. A summer treasure from Portugal is the white wine of Vinho Verde. These wines, produced from the Arinto, Loureira, and Trajadura, are light, fresh and citrusy, and display a slightly fizzy feel that enhances the freshness. They are low in alcohol (typically 9% - 10% ABV). Give them a try…and your budget will thank you, because while you can pay more than $10/bottle, if you wish, there is no need to do so.  

Not far to the east of Vinho Verde is the Rias Baixas region of Galicia, Spain. Here the white grape is Albariño, which is characterized by peach, citrus and notable minerality. Fresh and delicious, pair it with almost any kind of seafood or drink it as an aperitif.

Still further to the east is Rioja, most famous for its reds, but home to some very engaging whites. The white grape of Rioja is Macabeo (called Viura in Rioja). Depending on when it is picked and how it is aged, it will display a floral, citrus character when picked early and aged in stainless; or, honeyed, nutty fruit notes (that remind me of a Chenin Blanc), when picked later and aged in neutral oak. Modestly priced, you can experiment, and likely sooner rather than later, you will find one that suits you (but see below for a really good one). Enjoy them year-round, but especially in the summer.

Finally, in the far northeastern corner of Spain is the Basque Country. There, in Getariako Txakolina, we find the Hondarrabi Zuri grape, which is the backbone of Txakolina whites. Showing somewhat intense minerally lemon-lime citrus with a hint of fizz, this is the ultimate wine pairing for Spanish white anchovies (boquerones), but it is superb with just about any seafood. It is hard to taste these wines and not love them. Especially suited to summer, they are a year-round white as well

From France, Melon de Bourgogne (aka Melon) is the grape of the Muscadet appellation at the western end of the Loire. Apple, citrus and minerality characterize this white that drinks well alone, or with virtually any seafood.

I discussed Greco last year (https://www.vinerepublic.com/blog/post/3420), and this is a good time of year to visit/re-visit this particularly summer-friendly wine. Also, grown across the Western Mediterranean is Vermentino (most often called Rolle in France). Vermentino shows peach, citrus and a lightly saline minerality. This is the white grape of both Sardinia and Corsica, and most widely seen here are the Sardinian versions, which I find noticeably more minerally than those from other locations.

We cross the Atlantic for our final stop of the day – Argentina. Torrontes is rapidly becoming the white grape of Argentina. It comes in a wide range of intensities, with the lighter versions showing citrus, with hints of herbs reminding me of what Sauvignon Blanc would be if it were on Prozac. Still others show a more intense aromatic, spicy, tropical fruit character reminiscent of a Gewurztraminer. Have a lighter version for Happy Hour, and take a bigger one to your favorite Indian or Thai BYO for dinner. 

Try these! If you like them, you like that varietal/blend: Casale Garcia or Aveldha Vinho Verde; Bodegas La Cana 2017 Rias Baixas Albariño; Cune 2017 Rioja Blanco ‘Monopole’; Ameztoi 2017 Getariako Txakolina; Donnachiara 2017 Greco di Tufo; Chateau de la Chesnaie 2017 Muscadet de Sevre-et-Maine Sur Lie. Terenzuola 2017 Vermentino Toscana; Alamos 2017 Torrontes. To summer! Cheers!