By Babs Harrison
Summers call for grilling out and enjoying long, leisurely meals sipping delicious wines that are light and refreshing. A crisp white, chilled summer red, fruit-forward rosé or a sparkling prosecco, cava or champagne could be the answer.
The key is to look for wines with a lower alcohol content (under 13%), high acidity, smooth tannins that won’t dry out your palate, and if it can be chilled, all the better.
Don’t rule out red wines just because the weather is hot. Many are lighter-bodied and fruit-forward without being sweet, like Gamay. Remember the lyrics to “Summer Wine,” just hold on to those silver spurs: “Strawberries, cherries and an angel’s kiss in spring / my summer wine is really made from all these things.”
Castle Hot Spring’s wine program, winner of Wine Spectator’s Best of Award of Excellence, includes nearly 500 wines chosen by Sarah Foote, Director of Wine & Service, to complement Harvest’s ever-changing farm-to-table tasting menu.
Choosing a warm-weather wine from the wine list is easy, just ask for guidance. For those who enjoy perusing the list, Sarah offers this insider tip: head to the section named Off Trail Whites. “These wines don’t quite fit into the other categories by region or varietal, and many of the summer gems are hidden here,” says Sarah.
This should give you a leg up on selecting the perfect warm-weather wine to impress your dining companions. Uncertain about summer food and wine pairings? Sarah offers this easy-to-remember tip: if it grows together, it goes together.
“Pairing regional wines with regional cuisine can enhance both,” she says.
Think of how a classic boeuf bourguignon perfectly pairs with Pinot Noir, a French burgundy, and you’ll immediately tuck that nugget of information away for your next dinner party.
We asked Sarah to share her top five picks for summer wine pairings, in no particular order. You’ll find wines from Spain, Austria, France, Sicily and California along with suggested food pairings and tasting notes from Sarah. Let’s dive in.
1 Cambados Urban Winery | Desconcierto | Albariño | Rias Baixas, Spain | 2021
“I love this wine for warmer months. The grape albariño is planted on the Northwest corner of Spain leaving it open to the ocean air. The air sits down into the vines bringing a crisp salinity. This specific albariño is aged slightly to round it out.”
Food pairing: Gambos al Ajillo, a Spanish dish of shrimp and garlic. Serve with crusty bread and you have a starter course or a meal ready in less than 10 minutes.
2 Weingut Knoll | Ried Loibenberg Smaragd | Grüner Veltliner | Wachau, Austria | 2019
“This is a shining expression of Austrian white wine. Weingut Knoll has some wines that have reached cult status. This 2019 is fresh, and older vintages will drink more elegantly. Notes of grapefruit, pear, with a full mouth feel.”
Food pairing: Roast chicken and summer vegetables and green herbs. Blending any green herbs you have on-hand with high-quality olive oil makes a quick sauce to highlight the freshness of the wine.
3 Château de Trinquevedel Rosé | Tavel, France | 2021
“A grenache-based blend from the Rhône Valley in the south of France. Tavel rosé was a known favorite of Ernest Hemingway. It is easy to see why with its notes of dark berries and spice. This is a heavier-drinking rosé than the more well-known neighboring region of Provence.”
Food pairing: Tuna Niçoise salad. This fuller-bodied, dry rosé stands up to the classic Mediterranean dish. Both are brimming with flavor and texture.
4 Firriato | Le Sabbie dell’Etna | Sicily | 2020
“This wine is grown near the base of Mt. Etna in Sicily. The grape is the lesser-known Nerello Mascalese. Fresh and light, even tasty when slightly chilled. Notes of cherry, cinnamon, dried herbs and florals.”
Food pairing: Pasta alla Norma. This is a classic Sicilian pasta dish with tomatoes, eggplant, garlic, basil, and ricotta salata. Think of it as a lighter version of comfort pasta for the warm months.
5 Lieu Dit | Cabernet Franc | Santa Ynez Valley, California | 2022
“Winemaker Justin Willett pays homage to the Loire Valley in France with this winery in Southern California. This expression of cabernet franc is medium- to full-bodied with notes of black cherry, fresh bell pepper, and mint.”
Food pairing: Grilled steak kabobs. Add summer onions, peppers, and tomatoes to the kabob for a textural addition of vegetables. Grind peppercorns and dust the steak with freshly-ground pepper before grilling to add a depth of flavor that pairs with the pepper notes of the wine.
With these suggestions in hand, choosing your summer wine will be a breeze.