Even if it doesn’t feel
like it, summer is coming upon us quickly. For a lot of people that means
jumping to rosé and white wines, for others it means nothing and red wine will
be consumed despite the heat and humidity. Both are okay, in fact we have wines
to cover anyone’s desire as the weather heats up.

Is
it rosé you’re looking for? Why not try one of our current favorites; the Coteaux du Vendômois, made from the
little known grape Pinot d'Aunis, is a crisp and dry rose with very little
fruit and an abundance of savory mineral flavors. Want something with a little more fruit but a nice peppery bite? Try the
rosé from Domaine de la Petite Marie
Bourgueil, made from 100% Cabernet Franc. Need something classy and
sophisticated? Look no further than the Domaine
du Bagnol Cassis rosé. This has it all, beautiful fruit, crisp herbs
and the structure to last well into next summer.

Rosé
not your thing? How about something local? Shinn
Estate Vineyards First Fruit Sauvignon Blanc may be one of the freshest and
cleanest Sauvignon Blancs on the East Coast. Need another reason to try it? How
about the fact that this is almost a natural wine, utilizing natural yeasts, spontaneous
fermentation only a light filtration, this a standout in the honest wine category. Or how about a
North Fork Chardonnay that drinks like a Finger Lakes Riesling? The Macari Early Wine is made like
Beaujolais Nouveau with a quick maceration and early bottling. It is bright and
refreshing and Biodynamic! Want something fuller and bigger but still
refreshing? Try Red Hook Winery’s SK
Level 1; a blend of 90% Chardonnay and 10% Sauvignon Blanc, this wine
spends extended time on the skins when fermenting giving a rich and dense
profile brimming with refreshing apricot and floral notes.

And
if you’re one to drink red wine no matter the time of year we have some great
options that you can chill, and we often have them in the fridge for you
already. You may have tasted the Castelfeder
Schiava Breitbacher Alto Adige when we poured in back in April. If not,
think rich and medium bodied with light cherry notes and a surprising lightness
for the weight it offers. Want something lighter that you can pour down your
throat by the bottle? Try the Raisins
Gaulois Beaujolais from Marcel
Lapierrre. At 11.5% alcohol, this is light and fresh and an easy bottle to
quench your thirst without knocking you out on a hot afternoon. Did I mention
it pairs well with almost any food: burgers, pasta, spicy Mediterranean,
Mexican, Indian, BBQ, Coq au Vin, and eggs (brunch wine). Just one man’s opinion,
but it might be the perfect wine. And last but not least, a favorite from last
summer, the Slovenian Cviček from Zajc: a wine made from a blend of four
red grapes (Blauer Koelner, Blaufrankisch, Portugiezer and St. Laurent) and
five white (Kraljevina, Welschriesling, Yellow Plavec, Gruener
Veltliner and Stajerska Belina). Known as the national drink of Slovenia, Cviček
is always low in alcohol, 10% in this case, and has minimal residual sugar
giving it a crisp dry cranberry note with a savory finish and just delightfully
thirst quenching.
If for some odd reason none
of these struck your fancy, just ask and we can recommend many more that fall
in that great category of a “summer wine”. And check the top shelf of the
fridge this summer for cold reds!