Napa Insiders Share Their Favorite Alternative White Wines For Summer
Summer’s in full swing, which means it’s time for beach trips, camping, pool parties, or just lounging away in the backyard, enjoying the longest days of the year. Of course, summer also means light, crisp refreshing white wines to pair with all that lounging and partying.
At Yao Family Wines, we make a Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc in the classic Bordeaux style, with a blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon. This blend creates a delicate yet complex wine, with an acidity that makes it perfect with seasonal, summertime dishes. But what if you want to try something a little bit different; something to expand the pallet without deflating the wallet? We asked a handful of Napa Valley insiders for their suggestions on new, exciting and different white wines to try.
“I recently tasted the 2016 Swanson Vineyards Pinot Grigio. At $21 bucks a bottle, it’s an affordable, fun, fresh and food-friendly wine. Pair this white wine with the recent heat wave and you’ve got yourself a pairing perfect for porch pounding!” ~ Monique Soltani, Host, WineOH.tv
“Chateu Yvonne Saumur Blanc (Chenin Blanc). Killing it! I had this in New York at Rebel, and then less than a month later I got to meet Matthieu, the winemaker, in the Loire Valley. I think his Chenin is all the things a Chenin should be: refreshing and crisp for a hot day, bit also minerality, stone, pear, and a silky texture that has richness without being too weighty. ~ Terra Jane Albee, Whiterock Vineyards.
“The 2016 Ancien Pinot Gris. Great acidity and tropical notes.” ~ Jimmy Kawalek, President, Coombsville Vintners & Growers Association.
"If you're looking for the true Chardonnay alternative, get a bottle of Aligote, the 'Other White Wine of Burgundy.' A great choice is the 2015 Maison Chanzy Bouzeron Clos de la Fortune Monopole, which is pretty widely available at about twenty bucks. Aligote's flavor profile lives somewhere between SB and Chardonnay, but with a unique acidity and minerality. It's amazing." ~ Allen Desuaniers, Marketing Manager, The DAR Label Group.
And I'll go ahead and throw my choice into the fray as well: The 2016 Kale Napa Valley Somerston Vineyards Grenache Blanc. Grenache Blanc is one of the souther Rhone's lesser-known and utilized varietals, but as a stand-alone wine, it has exquisite character. If made in the old world style, it has a lower alcohol content which makes it go down easy on a hot day.
Enjoy the summer, and comment below to let us know what alternative white wine you've been drinking!