How to Buy the Perfect Summer Wine

In this episode of our wine education video series, we look at to buy a terrific summer wine, whether it’s for fresh seafood, barbecued meats or crisp salad.

Also find out why you should take another look at rose wine this summer.

What’s your favourite warm weather wine?

Post with permission of Canadian Press (CP).

So, this summer I think it is a great time to crack open a bottle of Canadian wine. Whether you’re grilling meats on the barbecue or you’re having some fresh seafood this summer, or even field green summer salads, the range of styles here suits just about every dish.

So if you think about, like, Riesling, that we do so well in Niagara, that’s a perfect salad wine. If go over to Pinot Noir, a nice light red, plank salmon comes to mind right away. And if I’m having any sort of peach cobbler or fruit dessert, of course our ice wine, that we only think about in the winter time or for – as gifts, is absolutely beautiful. It’s got that nice citrus brightness to it. It pairs so well.

So, one of the things about Rosé is that it’s probably the world’s most misunderstood wine. And it has a nasty little image from 1970’s, 1980’s when it was sweet and cheap and syrupy. No more, at least from reputable producers like this one from Inniskillin.

Rosé is dry. It’s food-friendly and it’s, I think, the ultimate summer wine. It’s a kind of a sweet cheddar wine. So it goes with planked salmon or field greens, seafood. I’d even do grilled pork chops, that cherry, smoky flavour you get on the grill. This Rosé gives it a nice lift. It’s almost like a liquid garnish but much better.