It's Summer! Time for Some Light and Refreshing Wines!

Summer is a great time to enjoy light, refreshing wines.

Light wines are versatile and can be enjoyed on their own as a refreshing drink or paired with a wide range of summer dishes, from salads and grilled vegetables to seafood and lighter meats and they won’t overpower the flavors of lighter summer foods.

Many light wines have lower alcohol content. This can be preferable in hot weather as they are more thirst-quenching and more likely to leave you refreshed.

The flavor profiles of light wines, such as citrus, green apple, and floral notes, just shout freshness which is especially appreciated during the warm summer months.

Summer foods tend to be lighter and fresher. So, light wines will complement these foods well and enhance their flavors.

When choosing a wine for summer, consider lighter styles, lower alcohol content, and wines that can be served chilled. These characteristics make them ideal for enjoying on a warm day or pairing with seasonal cuisine.

Here are just a few wines that are perfect for summer:

  • Rosé - Rosé wines come in various styles from dry to sweeter options. They can have flavors ranging from red berries to citrus, making them extremely versatile and a refreshing option.

  • Sparkling Wines - Sparkling wines go with almost any food. But, the chilled bubbles make them especially fit for summer. Prosecco, a sparkling wine from Italy, is light, fruity, and often slightly sweet. It's perfect for summer celebrations.

  • Sauvignon Blanc - This seems to be the go-to wine of summer with bright, refreshing acidity and fresh fruit flavors of citrus, green apple, and sometimes tropical fruits like passion fruit or pineapple.

  • Chenin Blanc - This is another light, refreshing wine that offers crisp acidity with flavors of apple, pear, and honey.

  • Pinot Grigio/Pinot Gris - Also a go-to summer light-bodied wine with refreshing acidity. Its flavors can range from crisp citrus to stone fruits like pear or peach.

Get to Know the Pinots -- Pinot Gris

In previous blogs we got an overview of the Pinot grape and the tremendous number of Pinot synonyms (258!) and looked at the least known of the Pinots, Pinot Meunier. Now, let’s take a look at Pinot Gris.

A member of the extended Pinot family of grape varieties, Pinot Gris (PEE-no GREE) is a mutation of Pinot Noir that has skins that are not green like other white grape. And, in the vineyard, Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir varieties look identical right up until veraison (when the grapes begin to ripen and change color). This is when Pinot Gris berries take on colors from orange-pink to pale, dusty purple. In fact, the word gris is French for "gray" and refers to the dusty, light-gray sheen the grapes usually take on.

Pinot Gris Grapes

And, by the way, Pinot Gris is simply the French name for the grape that Italian’s refer to as Pinot Grigio. So, they are both the same but, as with all wines, they can taste different based their terrior (i.e., soil, climate, topography).

Pinot Gris wine is typically pale gold in color with aromas and flavors of citrus, pear, green apple, white peach and nectarine. There can also be herbal and spice notes along with floral and honey. It tends to be high in acidity.

So, next time we’ll look at yet another Pinot - Pinot Blanc. Cheers!

Behind the Cork™ - Corvezzo Pinot Grigio

2020 Corvezzo Pinot Grigio ($13)

Corvezzo is the leading name in organically grown, vegan wines from northeast Italy’s Veneto region.

Founded in 1960, the winery is in the village of Cessalto near Treviso, a sweet spot in the Veneto between the cool Dolomite Mountains and the sunny Adriatic Sea.

Family-owned and run, Corvezzo has the largest acreage in Italy of certified organic Glera and Pinot Grigio grapes. According to owner/winemaker Giovanni Corvezzo, his wines have not only adapted to organic farming - they have thrived, becoming stronger, with better balance and producing higher quality fruit. The signature wine style for him is fresh and bright.

This Corvezzo Pinot Grigio is produced from 100% Pinot Grigio grapes that underwent a soft cold crushing and pressing and were aged in concrete tanks (95%) and oak barrels (5%). It is straw yellow in color with gold glimmers. One the nose it has subtle hints of citrus, lemon and some minerality. On the palate it is light in body with peach, cantaloupe and nectarine, moderate acidity, smooth mouth-feel and just an ever-so-subtle hint of sweetness on the finish.

This Corvezzo Pinot Grigio is great tasting and very affordable, making it a great fit as the Behind the Cork™ Wine of the Week. Cheers!

Behind the Cork™ - Josh White Wines

Josh White Wines

Josh Cellars is produced by Joseph Carr who named his wines “Josh” for his father.

Josh Cellars is produced as a negociant brand. That means they don’t actually own a winery or any vineyards. At first that might seem odd. But, it’s actually much like some of the world’s greatest chateaux in Bordeaux and Burgundy France.

As a negociant, they work with California’s best growers to acquire grapes from select vineyards in California’s most prestigious appellations––Napa Valley’s Rutherford, Stags Leap District, Oakville, Coombsville, Mt. Veeder, and Carneros AVAs, along with Paso Robles to the south. Then, they allow their winemaker, Wayne Donaldson, to make their wines using his experience of over a decade making sparkling wine at one of the world’s largest and most prestigious champagne house where blending is essential to making great wines.

2021 Josh Cellars Pinot Grigio ($14.99)

This Pinot Grigio is straw color with aromas of pear, cantaloupe and minerals. On the palate it has flavors of green apple with bright acidity and an easy finish. (12.5% ABV)

2020 Josh Cellars Sauvignon Blanc ($14.99)

The Sauvignon Blanc is a pale straw yellow in color with aromas of grapefruit, honeydew and citrus. On the palate it has bright flavors of pineapple and tropical fruit with refreshing acidity that lingers. (13% ABV)

2020 Josh Cellars Chardonnay ($14.99)

This Chardonnay is pale gold in color with aromas of pear and baked apple. On the palate it has bright fruit flavors with a touch of lemon zest. It is balanced with 10% new French oak to add just a hint of oak. This Chardonnay does undergo malolactic conversion to give it a soft mouth-feel but still retains it fruit-forward flavors.

Each of these wines is fermented in stainless steel tanks to maximize the varietal expression, preserve aromas and produce their wines in the signature Josh Cellars style - fruit forward and a long finish. They are affordable and attainable making them a great fit as Behind the Cork™ Wines of the Week. Cheers!

Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received these samples at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Samples Provided by Joseph Carr Wines (via Donna White Communications)

Behind the Cork™ - Barone Montalto Pinot Grigio

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2020 Barone Montalto Pinot Grigio ($11.99)

Sicily is a strong and legendary land. Its climate, nature and winemaking experience make it unique.

The story of Barone Montalto began in Santa Ninfa, in the province of Trapani, in 2000. Montalto wines come from great tradition, young character and are admired by a growing audience of wine consumers.

Barone Montalto manages around 400 hectares (~1000 acres) of vineyards. The majority of their vineyards, as well as their winery, are located in Santa Ninfa, in the heart of the Belice Valley. Other vineyards are in the province of Agrigento, in the Valle dei Templi and in Noto.

This wine is produced from 100% Pinot Grigio. And, just a fun-fact, Pinot Grigio is a pink grape that is a mutation of Pinot Noir.

This Barone Montalto Pinot Grigio is pale gold in color with aromas that include hints of citrus, lemon and herbs. On the palate it is smooth and easy with flavors of pear, peach and melon. The acidity is moderate and well-balanced. The wine finishes light and easy. Cheers!

Barone Montalto wines are imported by Mack & Schühle and distributed throughout the U.S.

Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received this sample at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Sample Provided by Donna White Communications