Five Fine Wines for the Dog Days of Summer

The following is a modified version of a guest post that I did for the Cork Chronicles blog (which I highly recommend you all check out). The topic: Some of my favorite wines for summer! You may have seen some of these on my Top 10 lists, but since that list isn’t due to be updated until next month, I thought it would be good to publish this list now while it is still HOT everywhere. Enjoy!

White Wines
The first couple items you need in your summer supply are versatile, quaffable whites. Two to get you started are:

• 2010 Douglas Green The Beach House. A real gem for less than $10. This wine is 85% Sauvignon Blanc and 15% Semillon. Aromas of lemongrass, citrus, and pear — this wine is light, crisp and refreshing. Perfect for the backyard or the patio at the end of a long hot day.

• 2010 Colomé Torrontés. 100% Torrontés from Argentina. Available for around $12. This one has citrus, honey, peach, and even a little guava with an outstanding finish that lasts and lasts. This wine is very food friendly and we found it to be especially good with grilled chicken.

Red Wines
The next thing you’ll need in your summer cellar are a couple of reds for the days you want to fire up the grill, especially if you’re grilling red meat. Here are two great options:

• 2009 d’Arenberg The Stump Jump Red. 42% Grenache, 33% Shiraz, 25% Mourvédre and available widely for $10. Flavors of plum, blackberry and ripe fruit; this wine is nice and smooth with great spicy tannins on the finish.

• 2008 Concannon Vineyard Conservancy Petite Sirah. Available widely for around $10. Sweet blackberries, chocolate, and pepper on the nose. Full bodied and nicely balanced, this would be a great complement to a steak.

Rosé Wine
And the last wine you need in your wine fridge is a good rosé. Actually, what you want is not just a good rosé but the 2010 Bonny Doon Vin Gris de Cigare, which technically isn’t a true rosé at all, but 71% Grenache with 29% of a Rhone white blend mixed in, a style that’s called a Vin Gris.

If I could only pick one wine to drink all summer, it would be this one. This wine has aromas of strawberry, flowers, and watermelon. The predominant flavors when tasting are apple, citrus, and watermelon with the sweetness balanced by great minerality and acidity. It ends with a dry excellent finish. The Bonny Doon Vin Gris de Cigare is an extremely drinkable wine with near perfect balance. Highly recommended, with a price tag less than $15!

So there you have it, five of the best wines for summer!

Find out more about my rating system here and check out the Interactive Wine Rating Chart to find all my reviews! You can sort by type of wine, cost, rating, etc. in the interactive spreadsheet.

Click through to the individual wines to find the full reviews including a link with local retailers who carry each wine. Cheers!