06/20/08 Summer Wine Part 5

Welcome to Vine to Wine this is your host Linda Moran. Finally with the warmer weather comes the promise of some great summer wines. Today we continue our series about some of the best wines for summer sipping. Summer and wine have a lot to do with the heat and the way we eat. Most of our meals are light and easy-to-prepare summer foods -- salads, grilled vegetables, and seafood. The wine you choose should have that same elegant nonchalance. Consider wines that are crisp, citrusy, somewhat earthy, even austere - this taste makes it ideal with many warm-weather dishes. A possibility for summer meals is a Pinot Gris from Oregon or Alsace, they are some of the most charming white wines around. Crisp, lemony Vinho Verde from Portugal is often available for less than ten dollars and makes even the most basic dishes seem special. As your food gets more complex, your wine can, too. Sancerre, from the Loire Valley of France, tastes like a very ripe, just-picked green apple. Imagine that juicy flavor with curried chicken salad. Sancerre is made from the Sauvignon Blanc grape, so if you want something domestic try a Washington Sauvignon Blanc. It's rich and fruity, with crisp citrus notes a fabulous mouthful of wine, and great to sip alone. While it doesn't need food -- Sauvignon Blanc can give a lift to turkey or ham sandwiches and seafood salads. Finally, the most important piece of advice: A chilled bottle of bubbly is indispensable for summer because you never know when the perfect sunset will happen. And thanks for joining on this weeks Vine to Wine.