Summer Wines

Summer wines are like summer reading. You wouldn’t read Dostoyevski on the beach, and you wouldn’t enjoy a Chateau Latour there either. It’s a time to relax and enjoy yourself, soak up some heat and sunshine, and plan your outdoor meals with some refreshing wines to match. And in these days of inflated wine prices, particularly for the overhyped 2006 Bordeaux vintage, it’s time for some wine enjoyment at reasonable cost. The wines I enjoy for the summer are usually $10-$12 a bottle. Some cost even less, and all are good. None benefit from long aging, and most would suffer from it.

      This year I went shopping at Town and Country Liquors in Easton, which has the best selection of reasonably priced wines on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, and the owners are pleasant and knowledgeable, with special orders no problem. Your own local store should be a good source of purchases as well, provided you get to know the owners. They will order from their own distributors and wholesale suppliers what you prefer – that’s why they are in business!

      Here is a flavorful case of wines for your summer enjoyment. We’ll budget $10 a bottle.

      Let’s start with Beaujolais. The 2005 vintage is now in stock, and in this region as elsewhere in France, wonderfully flavorful wines were made. They are red wines, but are an exception to the usual rule for red wines, and benefit from being chilled. There are nine different crus (including Regnie, the latest one), in addition to basic Beaujolais and Beaujolais Villages. They range from light and fruity tasting (Fleurie, Chiroubles) to moderately full (Moulin A Vent). My favorite is Chiroubles, which seems to go well with most meat courses. If you want to have an assortment of cheeses, you might try a somewhat fuller wine, say Julienas (said to be named for Julius Caesar), or Moulin A Vent. I have never been disappointed with Georges Duboeuf. His quality is excellent. Let’s pick for our case a Beaujolais ($7.39), and a Julienas ($10.09).

         Last week, it hit 94 degrees Fahrenheit. We barbecued some pork ribs. A nice rose wine seemed in order. Now, the best rose wines are all French (until Ste. Michelle starts making their own again in the United States), and you have a fine choice, from the Loire Valley, and increasingly, also from Bordeaux. Wines from Provence, such as Tavel which has set the standard for years, are rather full-bodied, not too sweet, and stand up well. Try a Guigal Tavel 2004 Rose ($16.29).

      But sometimes, summer or not, you’ll enjoy a traditional Italian dinner. Turn on the air conditioning, forget the season, and enjoy yourself. I was pleased to discover a fine Banfi Chianti Classico 2005 for a bargain $11.89. And if you have grilled steaks or lamb chops in mind, here are two Bordeaux wines that will go nicely with your meal. The Maitre d’Estournel 2004 at $9.19, a wine produced by the owners of the Grand Vin Cos d’Estournel in St. Estephe, is a real bargain, flavorful and rounded, with nice structure. I can only imagine that they are hoping to tempt the discerning consumer to step up to the Grand Vin one of these days. And, of course, the standby Mouton Cadet red 2004, probably the best selling mass produced French red wine, is well priced at $8.29. It is a classic Bordeaux blend (adapted, I think, for American tastes), at 65% Merlot, 20% Cabenet Sauvgnon, and 15% Cabernet Franc.

      How about trying something new? Portuguese white wines are made for summer enjoyment and yes, the Vinho Verde really does have a tinge of green, and it isn’t absinthe, either! Try a bottle of Avelede 2005 ($6.89) with your appetisers.

             With fish or crabs, you’ll want a nice white wine. Here are some choices. You might ask for a Marquis de Goulaine Muscadet sur lie, which is flavorful and stands up well, but is now hard to find. Fortunately another fine Loire Valley wine was available, the Chateau Chesnaie Muscadet su lie at $8.29.  Our case will also include a flavorful wine from Alsace,  Willm’s Gentil 2005 ($8.69), which is a quality introduction to the excellent white wines of Alsace.

      We are also fond of Monsieur Touton Sauvignon Blanc 2005 from Bordeaux ($7.09), a dry and fine white wine, just right with chicken. We’ll add a bottle, and for good measure, a bottle of Mommessin Vieilles Vignes Chardonnay 2004 ($9.29), floral and tasty, just the wine for a more substantial dinner, such as rockfish. Speaking of chicken, a cool, medium weight white Graves such as Chateau Fages, Graves de Vayres ($7.59) should go quite nicely.

      The total damage for the case is $110.98. Toss in the tax man’s cut, and we’ve still come in under $12 per bottle for this 12 bottle case.

      But what if a white wine wasn’t to your taste? Add a tablespoon or so of cassis or framboise. A small bottle from Massenet, which should last most of the summer, will set you back $13.99. You’ve just made a kir, a favorite French appetizer drink.

      And as for that inexpensive bottle of  red  Rhone wine that you were going to serve with Cassoulet last winter, but never got around to it, here’s another possibility. It just might make a terrific Sangria. Cut it half and half with soda water (lemon/lime flavored), and add more citrus accents, a lime or orange peel. Squeeze in the fruit juice of the lime or orange. Add sugar to taste, perhaps half a cup. Swirl around with lots of ice cubes. You’ll have a very refreshing and inexpensive summer drink.

          Save those expensive wines for fall. Now is the time for flavor and  fun. And please share your own favorites with us. We’ll never tell how little they really cost!