Great Summertime Wines Plus...

Summer is a comin' in. Actually, it is here in metro Atlanta. It is HOT! HOT! HOT! Did I mention it was hot? Humid?

What's a body to do? Swooning like Scarlett is an option but somewhat limiting.

PLAN B: Try these fantastic summertime wines and one wonderful lager. Prices are for metro Atlanta.

FAMEGA VINHO VERDE, DOC, Portugal, Alcohol 9.5%. BOTTLED 2007. Crisp and fruity with lemon, lime and peach aromas and tastes. It has a wonderful soft sparkle so common to these delicous wines. The low alcohol makes for easy drinking and does not load you down in the hot weather. Forget about food with this. Take off your shoes, dangle them in the lake, and sip this lively creation. NOTE I SAID BOTTLED 2007. Typically the stil wine is kept aroun 0°C-32°F until needed. This reatains the fruit and the CO2 goes in at bottling time.
No lake? Close your eyes and sip. You'll have a lake. $9.50

PINE RIDGE CHENIN BLANC/VIOGNIER, CLARKSBURG VINEYARDS, OAKVILLLE, NAPA, CA. Alcohol 12.6%, 2005. What a find. Two of my favorite white grapes in one wine. The crisp acidity of the chenin blanc is rounded out by the fruit of the viognier that creates a wine more than equal to the sum of its parts. 81% chenin blanc and 19% viognier make up a wine that surrenders aromas of apricots and ripe peaches with the acidic balancce to make these flavors come alive in your mouth. If you must have food with this, try a baked bass with a citrus butter sauce. $12.00

COLD CREEK VINEYARDS RIESLING, COLUMBIA VALLEY, WA, CHATEAU ST. MICHELLE, Alcohol 12.5%, 2006. This wine shows the results of a year long and apparently continuing partnership with Dr. Loosens of the Rhineland in Germany. The wine is redolent with crisp citrus aromas and flavors, lime and lemon leading the charge. At 12.5% it is dry and wonderfully balanced, fruit-alcohol-acid. Ch. St. Michelle just recently hosted an international conference on Riesling, YES!, and it looks like this grape is finally getting some respect. Sales of riesling wines in the US were up over 11% in 2006 compared to 2005, based on super market data. Try this and you will see why New World wineries are the Florence of the Riesling Renaissance.
$16.50

MOOSBACHER LAGER, BRAUEREI SCHEURER, BAVARIA, GERMANY. The lager is crisp and soft at the same time with a creamy head and aromas and tastes of grain, citrus, toast and malt. This beer is absolutely delicous and will refresh the most tired souls around. The brewery makes several flavors. I also tried the Kellerbier which is a dark lager. Add a caramel flavor to the above description and you hae a good idea of how it tastes. Myy prefernce is for the Lager. $2.40, .05L.