Pickle Barrel
WE DRINK WINE differently in the summertime than we do in any of our other seasons. I guess it’s because we spend so much more time outdoors that we tend to be more forgiving in our wine choices; we’ll even buy wine in Tetra Paks for picnics and hikes. Well, there’s no reason to lower your critical standards. In this column, I offer you the best newly released wines under $20. The majority of them are only available at Vintages outlets. Those designated LCBO should be readily available but if you want to know the nearest store to you that carries the product, call the LCBO Infoline at 416-365-5900 and quote the product number.
Basically, summer wines fall into two categories: those you drink as thirst quenchers between meals on the deck, dock, patio or poolside; and those you sip alongside barbecued fare. Aperitif wines should be light and refreshing and — above all — chillable. This means, for the most part, whites, sparklers and rosés, although Beaujolais or Ontario Gamay can be chilled. A good bet would be Henry of Pelham Gamay 2005 which is light and fruity with a dry, peppery cherry flavour, $13.95 from Vintages (#291112).
You don’t want high-alcohol wines if you’re in the sun. Among the lowest you’ll find is Moscato d’Asti, a gently sparkling wine from Piedmont at 4.5 per cent to 5.5 per cent alcohol with a grapey, orange blossom flavour that’s irresistible. Try Fontanafredda ‘Moncucco’ Moscato d’Asti ($19.95, Vintages #673277) and Rivetti La Spinetta Moscato d’Asti 2004 ($19.95, #999367).
Riesling is another ideal summer wine, especially German Rieslings of Kabinett quality which tend to be lower in alcohol than their Ontario counterparts. Balthasar Ress Riesling Kabinett 2004 from the Rheingau ($15.95, Vintages #735241) has lime and grapefruit flavours with a honeyed note.
Rosé is another perfect summer wine because when vinified dry it’s very refreshing and it looks so good in the glass. The region I tend to gravitate towards for rosé is Tavel in Southern France. Tavel wines have more substance and flavour than other rosés that are made by bleeding off juice during the fermenting process to concentrate the colour and flavour of red wines. My choice would be Château d’Aqueria Rosé 2005 – dry, wild strawberry flavour ($18.95, Vintages #319368). For the home-grown version, your best buy is Malivoire Lady Bug Rosé 2004 ($15, Vintages #559088). If, on the other hand, you prefer a little residual sweetness in your rosé — as in white Zinfandel — then you’ll go for the Australian take on this fruity, easy drinking wine — white Shiraz. Banrock Station has a white Shiraz 2005 that’s pink with a bluish tint; it shows minty red berries on the nose; on the palate, it’s off-dry, medium-bodied, with fruit flavours but a refreshing summer wine when chilled.
If you’ve read this far and said to yourself why hasn’t he mentioned Chardonnay, well, here it comes. For an unoaked Chardonnay (that’s the style you’ll want to drink on a hot summer day), you can’t do better than Peninsula Ridge Beal Vineyard Chardonnay Reserve Inox 2005. The wine shows lovely orange and apple flavours, very elegant and wonderfully balanced in Chablis style. It’s only available at the winery for $19.95 a bottle.
The second category of summer wines relates to those that are served with food which invariably means meat that has been marinated with a host of spices and then incinerated over hot coals. This combination of spices, smoke and charcoal calls for big red wines with loads of flavour. Think Zinfandel, Shiraz and Cabernet blends made in New-World style.
There’s a wine from the Spanish region of Jumilla that has the longest name I’ve ever come across: Bodegas y Vinedos de Murcia Mad Dogs & Englishmen “Posh” Monastrell Cabernet Sauvignon Tempranillo 2002. This homage to the Noel Coward song is dense purple-black in colour with a nose of blackberries, sage leaf and vanilla oak. It’s full-bodied and chunky on the palate with flavours of sweet blueberries, rose petals and dark chocolate ($17.95, Vintages #673616).
Chilean reds are generally barbecue-friendly because of their bold fruit expression. Recently, I tasted Escudo Rojo 2002. This blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenère and Cabernet Franc is dense ruby in colour with a smoky, vanilla, chocolate and black fruit nose. It’s medium-bodied, chunky on the palate with earthy, blackcurrant and black cherry flavours ($16.90, LCBO #613224).
If you’re barbecuing salmon, tuna or lobster, my pick would be E. &. J Gallo Sonoma County Chardonnay 2003, a richly extracted wine with flavours of pineapple, mango and toasty oak ($16.95, LCBO # 354282).
Just remember: alcohol and
sunshine can be a dangerous
combination. 
Post City Magazines’ resident oenophile, Tony Aspler, has authored 11 books on wine and food, including The Wine Lover’s Mystery Series. He is also the creator of the annual Ontario Wine Awards and a co-founder of the Grapes for Humanity charity. He can also be heard each week on 680News.
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