Enjoy wine in the summer by matching the wine not to the food but to the occasion. Here is the time to buy what you like and not worry what others think. For the growing number of wine lovers who like to boast that ?they only drink red wines?, the summer months give the classic opportunity to enjoy white, ros? or even sparkling wines.
Where to buy from for summer drinking? The best place is where there is a fast turnover of stock. A supermarket or specialist wine shop, where the wines have been kept correctly, are ideal. Avoid the kiosk, or the drinks shop that sells mainly beer and soft drinks. Certainly avoid a place where there are old bottles of yellowing white wines on the shelves. This is a sign of low turnover or poor stock control.
Sparkling, sweet dessert wines or simple white wines should be served very cold. Quality white wines, like a Chardonnay, should be chilled and even light, fruity red wines are best lightly chilled.
When you have bought your wine, be aware that a domestic fridge will chill a wine in an hour. At the last minute it would be more effective to put the bottle in a freezer for 15 minutes. However don?t forget it, because the wine will freeze to slush, which will destroy the quality and the bottle may explode!
For the quickest result, the solution is the simplest. Put the wine in a bucket or sink full of iced water, add a pinch of salt and the bottle will be cold in ten minutes. This is the ice bucket principle you know from weddings and restaurants! At a picnic, try wrapping a wet rolled up newspaper around a bottle or use one of the ice freezer sleeves available in some wine shops. Both methods really work.
If you are buying wine in a restaurant, insist on an ice bucket for your white and rose wines. However to be effective, ensure the ice bucket is full not only of ice, but also water. Even some red wines will benefit by 10 minutes in an ice bucket. If you want to ensure the temperature remains correct, be sure that glasses are not overfilled as wine warms up quickly in the glass.
So what to drink? The classic and most stylish drink is Champagne, which apart from anything else is perfect with strawberries. Cava from Spain or Prosecco from Italy are in fashion and less expensive alternatives. However why not support Israel and buy Gamla Brut, Private Collection Brut or Selected Sparkling. They may be drunk by the glass in restaurants or enjoyed with fresh fruit on the balcony at home and they are every bit as good as any Cava.
Ros?s, derided by wine snobs for years, are suddenly back in. Consumers are realizing a wine does not have to be sophisticated to be enjoyable. A ros? or blush wine are ideal wines for the summer. An inexpensive example is Selected White Zinfandel. The delicate pink colour and touch of sweetness make this a great picnic wine. It is also perfect with pizza. Other options include the Recanati Ros? and Galil Mountain Ros?, which are two of the best on the market. A ros? is the perfect wine for the Israeli climate.
An ?off dry? wine is basically a dry wine with just a touch of sweetness. Examples are aromatic white wines made from Gewurztraminer and Riesling grapes, which make for a refreshing choice, especially for a more discerning consumer. The Yarden and Appellation Gewurztraminers, Gamla White Riesling or Appellation Johannisberg Riesling are Israeli white wines that receive international praise for quality.
If you are trying to choose one wine to please everyone, you can always connect with an old friend, Emerald Riesling. Fruity, very aromatic and semi dry, it is a good choice for a wide range of guests. Best value is the Classic and Selected Emerald Rieslings found in supermarkets. However for better quality go for the Barkan Reserve or Private Collection Emerald Rieslings, which are less sweet & better balanced.
A wine that will surprise with its popularity is a Moscato, made from Muscat grapes. This is a light, grapey, sweet, slightly sparkling wine, which is also low alcohol. These wines are made like a Moscato Canelli from Italy, but apart from Italy, the best examples of this style of wine are made in Israel. People who don?t usually like wine will love it and it will make wine lovers smile! Golan Moscato, Young Selected Moscato and Dalton Moscato are the best Israeli versions.
For dry wines, go for a light style Chardonnay, preferably unoaked, a refreshing Pinot Grigio or an aromatic Sauvignon Blanc. The unwooded Pelter Chardonnay and Private Collection Chardonnay, are examples of Chardonnays becoming more popular in Israel. They are fresh, steely and appley, and more refreshing than the more traditional oaky, buttery style. Gamla, Galil Mountain, Private Collection and Tabor are some of the best value Sauvignon Blancs in Israel. The perfect accompaniment for grilled fish and an almost ideal summer wine.
Viognier is becoming an innovative, trendy alternative, which will be popular for those that like Chardonnays. The Dalton Viognier is part oak aged and the Yatir Viognier is preferable for those who prefer their Viognier unoaked.
For a barbeque, a light red with good fruit and balancing acidity, can be versatile and refreshing with both meat and fish dishes. Here you are looking for a wine in the style of Beaujolais or Valpolicella, which has ideally not been aged in oak barrels. A light Pinot Noir or young Merlot will also suffice. Mount Hermon, Canaan or Yasmin are popular brands for light, blended reds. If a varietal is preferred: Classic Cabernet, Selected Merlot, teva Shiraz or Reches (Ridge) Carignan Shiraz are recommended. All are young, fruity, easy to drink reds, which should be served slightly chilled.
Two wonderful summer drinks are Bucks Fizz and a white wine spritzer. Bucks Fizz is champagne with freshly squeezed orange juice added, though any dry Sparkling wine will do. For a white wine spritzer simply add soda or sparkling water to an ordinary white wine. Serve it very cold in a long glass. This idea is considered pass?, because Israelis remember that their grandparents used to drink Carmel Hock and soda in the 1960?s. However think again. It is good for those who are diet conscious, is very refreshing and one bottle of wine used like this will go a long way amongst a group and is certainly a safer choice for those driving. (Even though it is far better, not to drink and drive.)
The important thing to realize is that Israel has many wines which are perfect for the hot, humid summers. These may not be the best trophy wines, or the most expensive, but there are so many wines and wine styles to enjoy with the local Eastern Mediterranean climate and food. The final messages for this summer are drink what you like, match the wine to the mood, not the food, and, most important, drink blue and white!
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