Sipping in the Sun

Summer is around the corner, and it is bringing the party season with it. Over the next four months or so you are likely to be challenged with finding the perfect wine in a hurry. Perhaps you receive a last minute invitation, or it is an impromptu picnic, but chances are, you are going to wish you had some wine on hand.

Most people do not have a wine cellar at their disposal, so the question becomes which wine, and how much? Events to plan for range from BBQs and pool parties, to more formal dinner parties and even sunset conversations. You are going to need a bit of variety, but you want to watch that budget, and for most of us, storage space is almost as big of an issue.

Lets start at the obvious place for Summer wines, Light Whites.

Riesling is great for picnics and pool parties. It can range from dirt dry to very sweet. The Germans make it easy to tell which is which, but for those of you that haven't read my book yet, an Auslese is a little sweet and perfect for a hot Summer's day.

Gewurztraminer, Viognier and Sauvignon Blanc need to be on your list too. All of these go great with food and the summer heat. For those of you lucky enough to dine on fresh crabs all summer, Sauvignon Blanc is your wine, with Viognier for variety.

Red Wines are problematic in the sweltering heat, but great for the cooler evenings.

Zinfandel is still my choice with BBQ sauce, but if your grill is covered with hot dogs, and hamburgers you can trot out your favorite medium bodied wines, like Merlot and Syrah. Pinot Noir is perfect for grilled salmon and pretty much anything.

For sitting, sipping, chatting and watching the sun drop below the horizon, you can offer up your Chards and Cabs. Since this article is about wines you are buying to drink now, look for a lighter styled Cab. If you do have a cellar, this is a great time for the perfectly aged Cab.

Mediterranean foods often make an appearance when the weather grows warmer, and it is the perfect excuse to explore the wines of Spain. Like most Old World wines, the Spanish selections tend to be structure forward, meaning hey are better with food than just sipping on their own.

Speaking of Spain, I am going to share one of my secrets with you. A good Sangria is hard to beat in the heat. What makes a Sangria good? Follow my recipe and decide for yourself. It is a question of taste, but here is how I make mine:

1 Bottle Inexpensive Red Wine (shoot for tart and fruity)
Thawed Concentrated Orange Juice
Thawed Concentrated Tangerine Juice
Fresh lime
Spanish Brandy (it is sweeter than most)
1 spiraled orange peel for garnish
Sugar to taste
Serve ice cold

I haven't given amounts because it depends on the wine, and your taste. Experiment, but the first key is the concentrated juices (thawed, previously frozen concentrate). These add intense flavor, and since they have minimal water, they don't thin out the wine. The second trick is the brandy. It not only makes the concoction more potent, but a sweet brandy gives Sangria its distinctive taste. If you can't find Spanish brandy, look for Mexican, it is made in the same style.

Some of you are wondering how I, a professed snob, could be recommending Sangria right along with buying fine wine. The answer is simple, tradition. While wine coolers may seem to be a modern invention, Sangria and its kin have been around as long as wine has. It started as a way to hide the spoiled taste in wine, but has developed into a refreshing alternative to quaffing beer.

Oh, and about beer, go ahead and get some. Even wine snobs like me love an ice cold one now and then.

So how much wine do you need? In the heat of day you will drink more than in the evening, so you may go through more whites than you think. Figure that you will go through a full bottle a person during daylight events, instead of the usual half.

At large get-togethers, the ratio is usually more like 1/3 bottle per person since people will also be drinking beer and water and such. Again, this is doubled if the event is in the hot sun.

For reds, it depends on how many parties you go to, and what your habit it, but I usually bring two bottles. So figure out how many times you brought wine to someone's house last year, and then double it to be safe. Otherwise the amounts are the same as above.

Now that I have you buying all this wine, where do I propose you store it? Most of it you are going to drink pretty quickly so there are no real requirements, except to keep it out of direct sunlight. For an inexpensive short term solution, I suggest an ice chest. In fact, splurge, buy a new one, and use your old wine to store wine.

General suggestions are all well and good, but where are the specific wines to buy? Readers of my newsletter have access to a data base which contains hundreds of recently tasted wines. The newsletter, the data base, and even a report on buying wine, are all FREE. Sign Up Here.