Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Food & Drink

Drink These White Wines Before Summer Ends

By

drink these white wines before summer ends wine
Image used with permission by copyright holder
The summer is rapidly ending. That means its time to squeeze in as many beach trips, river cruises, and cannon ball dives as possible. Get yourself outside for God’s sake before pumpkin spice season is upon us!

One thing you should also do before the summer ends is enjoy some excellent white wine. We all know that white wines are best enjoyed with a little chill and there’s no better time to drink a crisp white than during the final, hot days of the summer. Luckily, we have two great and affordable white wines to recommend for you. These are absolutely perfect for summer drinking and they both come from California wine country.

Recommended Videos

The first is the 2014 Wild Horse Viognier, which comes from the Central Coast region of California that stretches from Santa Barbara County up north to the San Francisco Bay Area. Viognier is a variety of wine that comes from Rhone Valley, but is also grown in parts of South America, New Zealand, Australia and (as you already know since it can be made in California) North America. Viognier has similarities to Chardonnay, but tends to a have a fruitier aroma filled with notes of peach and pear.

Related: Underwood Wines In A Can

Related

The 2014 Wild Horse Viognier year could almost be described as a “nectar.” When it is fresh out of the wine fridge or off ice, there is a crispness that makes it incredibly easy to drink. However, as the glass warms, you can really pick up on the sweetness of the wine. It’s nothing overwhelming—the flavors are more than welcome. And you’ll notice a lingering citrus taste in your mouth after each quaff. This wine would go well with a dish like seared scallops, but in our estimation the perfect match would be with fresh shellfish. You know: half shell, shaved ice, lemon. It’s that kind of wine.

We also recommend the 2013 Anaba Turbine White, which comes from the heralded Sonoma Valley. The name comes from the “turbine” logo found on the Anaba label, but the wine is a blend of Rhone style varietals. The exact blend is 42% Rousanne (for aroma), 20% Grenache Blanc (for low acidity and length of finish), 20% Picpoul Blanc (for spice), and 18% Marsanne (for sweetness).

What strikes you first about the Anaba is its clarity. This is a white wine. But it differs from the Wild Horse Viognier in that its flavors are lush and a bit stronger on the tongue. If the Wild Horse had notes of peach, pear and citrus, the Anaba has an entire scale of flavor. There is a slightly more alcoholic finish, but it proves to just as easy to drink as the Wild Horse—again, especially when it has been chilled.

White wines are great to drink all year around, but they really hit the spot as a refreshing summer drink. But time’s a wasting to enjoy these excellent white wines this summer. So check out a bottle or two for yourself.

Editors’ Recommendations

Topics
Matt Domino
Matt Domino
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Matt Domino is a writer living in Brooklyn. His fiction has appeared in Slice and The Montreal Review, while his non-fiction…
There’s a reason you can find good, affordable white wine more easily than red
A splurge that doesn't have to break the bank
White wine in glass swirling

For many occasions, be it an anniversary, birthday, work promotion, or just any old Thursday, we love to splurge on a truly great bottle of wine. To be sure, there are many options to choose from when it comes to prestigious bottles, and selecting just the right one is often part of the fun. But when looking for that splurge-worthy bottle, have you ever noticed that white wines are more often far less expensive than red wines? No, it isn't just in your imagination. The truth is, white wines - even the extraordinary, award-winning, impeccable bottles - are generally far less expensive than red wines of the same caliber. But why?

There is a simple reason white wines are generally cheaper than red. The production of white wine is a far less arduous and labor-intensive process than that of red wine. The white winemaking steps are shorter and less involved and, therefore, more cost-effective at the top, which trickles down onto the wine's price tag. Red winemaking has many labor-intensive steps that white winemaking doesn't (as often) entail, such as barrel aging and cellar storage. And, of course, the costlier the production process, the more expensive the product will be. Simply put, white wine is easier to make and, therefore, cheaper.
Don't judge the price tag

Read more
What you need to know before you bring wine to a restaurant
What is a corkage fee?
Person eating in restaurant with plate and white wine

A great meal is only as good as the wine being poured alongside it. Many restaurants tout impressive bottle and glass pour lists but sometimes you just want to bring your own special selection. Whether that wine is a favorite you've been cellaring for years or just a prized producer that's hard to find here, special bottles are often welcomed at restaurants, for a price.

Corkage fees tend to apply to higher-end wines, so while we have nothing against a good bargain wine, leave the Two Buck Chuck at home. The corkage fee alone could probably buy you a half case of that stuff. Instead, go with something great, as the whole point is to enhance the meal while still paying respect to the restaurant's wine program and use of its staff, glassware, service, and the like.
What is a corkage fee?

Read more
Pinot Grigio vs Chardonnay: 2 of the most popular white wines, explained
These two wines can be nearly identical, or worlds apart.
Hands toasting with white wine

Arguably, two of the most popular white wine varietals, Pinot Grigio and Chardonnay, are both exquisite wines with their own unique characteristics. Interestingly enough, depending on a few factors we'll discuss here, these two wines can be nearly identical in their flavor profiles or worlds apart, with nothing but contrast between them. But how is that possible?
Pinot Grigio vs Chardonnay

When Chardonnay is left unoaked, these two wines could quite often be mistaken for twin sisters. Both beautifully bright and charming, with pleasant notes of unripened fruit, wonderfully crisp and citrusy. Of course, there are differences, but they are subtle and really only distinguishable to a more experienced palate or when tasted side by side. Chardonnay can be slightly more robust next to Pinot Grigio's leaner stature, but overall these wines are two peas in a pod.

Read more