Summer Sippers

It's been a while, but here are some great, inexpensive patio wines to whet your palates. Best drunk in the out-of-doors, my dearies - and don't forget your sunscreen!

Pavao Vinho Verde - Portugal ~$6
Vinho Verde means green wine, and the grapes for this are actually harvested a bit underripe - truly green. Their youth adds a slight effervescence to the bottle, and this playful summer wine is an absolute must for any patio gathering. Try it with green grapes and fresh cheese to underscore its unfettered frankness. Joyously refreshing, it's wonderful with salads, seafood, cucumbery gazpacho, or just hanging by the pool. (No photo, sorry, but just look for the peacock!)

Castano Rosado - Spain ~$11
Stop right there! Stop judging! This is NOT White Zinfandel, Boone's Farm or Matteus. This is GOODNESS IN A BOTTLE. Pink wines have gotten a bad rap, but traditional roses are best dry and drunk young. This one's perfectly lovely, thank you very much, and it is pleased to meet you too. Mostly from the monastrell grape (also called Mourvedre or Mataro, and one of my all-time favorites), this blend has such a heady nose I almost forget to drink it. Almost... but not quite. Fruity and berrylicious, but not sweet, with a wonderful fullness and an ethereal almost-smoky quality, it's fantastic with cheeses, berries, and - oh yes - chocolate. Go ahead and try it at home with some spicy bbq'd tempeh (or chicken) from the grill.

Three Winds Pinot Noir - France ~$9
Pinot's a notoriously tricky grape. It's the friend who always has to pee on road trips, who always gets sunburned at outdoor concerts, who's never on time for anything and can't plan further than five minutes ahead, but who can be an outrageous load of fun. Because the grape is so sensitive to changes in climate, terroir, and temperature, decent bottles tend to be expensive. This one isn't. Not super deep or complex, this is a great spontaneous summer wine to enjoy right now. And go ahead and put a slight chill on it. Light-bodied, fruity reds are terrific drunk at cellar temperature on a hot summer day.

Red Guitar - Spain ~$10
A blend of old vine tempranillo and grenache, this is my go-to summer bottle. Old vine grapes come from vines that have been producing for over 50 years - these vines won't tolerate your nonsense, young man. They produce far fewer grapes, but each one is perfection incarnate. Wines from old vine grapes tend to be quite complex, sophisticated, rich and full. This one also manages to be juicy, fresh, and energetic. It's the elderly neighbors who drive the beautifully waxed Oldsmobile, who keep their lawn perfectly manicured, and who love nothing better than having the neighborhood kids over for a rousing battle of croquet and lawn darts.