Anthony Gismondi: Where are you with ice cubes in your wine?

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After last week’s oppressive “heat dome” that sent temperatures to never-before-seen highs across the province, our plan today is to prepare more earnestly to beat the heat. Unfortunately, I’m guessing there will be more hot days ahead, so do what you have to do to save this column for future use as we look at some practical ways to serve wines and select wines that will help you beat the heat.

We begin with a pointed question: Where are you with ice cubes in your wine? I mean, come on, it’s too hot to drink serious wine and way too hot to serve wine outside. So you have two choices: Get the temperature right or drop an ice cube or two in your glass and go with the flow. If you are too nervous about being seen with ice cubes in your wine glass, add a cherry or a watermelon cube and go for the all-out refreshment look.

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Pop icon Taylor Swift shook up the stodgy wine business last summer when she was seen cooking at home and drinking wine with ice cubes in her glass during the Netflix documentary Miss Americana. First, of course, it was instant validation for all closet wine-with-ice-cubes-drinkers. But then ice cubes were always OK with street smart wine folks who say drink the wine you like, where you want, with any food you enjoy. But there are the rules and conventions so staunchly propagated by the wine trade that makes you feel uneasy about change and downright creepy about ice cubes in your glass.

Scorching hot patios and warm storage demand chilled wine to release a little freshness and, frankly, some thirst-quenching qualities, in the same way beer drinkers would never consider drinking warm beer in a hot summer setting. Today we offer some tips to combat the heat and keep your wine cool, including which wines work best in summer. Forget the big wines of winter and go for the fresh, aromatic, dry whites, rosé and un-oaked Chardonnay. The Grüner Veltliners, floral Rieslings, spicy, fruity Gewürztraminer and, well, you get the point. It’s summer lash out — have fun.

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The only rule for heat is to be prepared. Locate a pail, a large bowl, or clean up a plastic garden trug and fill it full of ice and water. After that, you can move bottles in and out of the ice water to chill the wine to any desired temperature, and they can go back in the ice water between pours if needed. There is no need to put this on the table; keep it nearby on the ground.

Freshness should rule the day, and often, that means leaving your comfort zone. It’s a great time to taste wines like the Ormarine Picpoul de Pinet for $17.99 or a Sauvignon-like El Petit Bonhomme Rueda Blanco, $15.99 from Spain. Sauvignon Blanc always shouts summer and especially if you are grilling fish or chicken. One of BC’s best values is the Mission Hiil Reserve Sauvignon Blanc, $19.99 and the always reliable and crazy value, Francois Lurton Les Fumées Blanches, $12.99. The match is shellfish, fresh goat cheese or sushi rolls.

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Drinking Riesling will make you an instant hipster. If we had to pick three under $20, we would include the Gehringer Riesling, $15.99, Wild Goose Riesling, $17.99 and the Selbach Riesling, $19.99. All three are fresh, crunchy and just off-dry and waiting for food.

Don’t forget the sparkling wine. It can elevate any party, indoors or out, instantly. The lightly effervescent Italian Proseccos have all added rosé to their portfolios. Some of the early leaders to check out are: Perlage Afra Prosecco Rosé Extra Dry, 2019, $21.00, Astoria Prosecco Rosé Millesimato Extra Dry 2019, $15.00, Sea Change Prosecco Rosé  N/V, $22.99 and Zago Prosecco Brut Rosé 2019, $29.99.

Now you are ready to break out the ice and stay cool. Remember: It is your choice to put it in a bucket or a wine glass.

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Weekend wine picks

Spier Chenin Blanc Signature Collection 2019, Stellenbosch, Coastal Region, South Africa

$13.99 I 88/100

UPC: 00606655000299

My preference is for a slightly skinnier, fresher style of Chenin Blanc that is less weighty and oily, and this Spier Signature Collection hits all those marks. The grapes are grown in the Western Cape’s Breede and Coastal regions. They get brief skin contact before a straightforward stainless tank ferment and post-fermentation aging on lees for three months. Look for bright peach and apple with a drizzle of lemon and creamy citrus. There is crazy value here, and you can drink this wine all summer with a variety of appetizers on the patio.

Graffigna Pinot Grigio 2018, San Juan, Argentina

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$13.99 I 87/100

UPC: 852832105565

This Pinot Grigio was sourced from vineyards in Pedernal and Tulum Valley in San Juan at 1,300 metres. The nose is fresh and bright with grassy green apple aromas. There is more grapefruit, almonds and bright acidity mixed with green apple and nectarine skin on the palate — an affordable and agreeable rendition of gris to be served with fish tacos or a crab sandwich.

Mayhem Gewurztraminer 2019, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada

$15.65 I 89/100

UPC: 626990352563

Mayhem is a joint project involving siblings Terry Meyer Stone (of Anarchist Mountain Vineyards) and JAK Meyer (Meyer Family Vineyards). The fruit is Naramata based, from Cellarsbend Vineyard. The ferment is a mix of stainless steel and 20-plus per cent neutral oak for 21 days before almost all of it went into old oak for eight months. The attraction here is the dryness and freshness that lets the apricot and peach shine. I tried this with Dungeness crab, and it was a good match.

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Le Petit Chat Malin Rosé 2019, Ventoux, Rhone Valley, France

$13.99 I 88/100

UPC: 3430560001693

I’m always amazed how a wine like this gets fumbled around in B.C. retail when it has been pretty impressive for the price since that day it arrived more than a decade ago. From its eye of the partridge colour to its fresh, floral strawberry and citrus nose, this is a delight to sip all afternoon and evening on a sunny patio. Expect a Provence-style dry rosé, full of juicy strawberry, raspberry fruit with a twist of garrigue spicing. Pair with tomato and cheese pasta dishes, crab, pork or chicken. Back up the truck, they are giving it away.

Yalumba Organic Shiraz 2018, South Australia, Australia

$15.99 I 88/100

UPC: 9311789001692

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Winemaker Heather Fraser does what I think many woman winemakers do with Syrah: they tame the wild edges and expand the palate via texture and deliciousness. At only 13.5 per cent, this vibrant organic red is a bargain and fun to drink. The grapes are sourced from four family-owned, organically certified vineyards. Expect a bright wine with floral, violet, plummy fruit and soft spice. The winery suggests a Swiss brown mushroom burger with caramelized onions, and I say bring it on.

Recipe match:

Step up your go-to barbecue chicken with this spiced dish from The Roof. The recipe goes big on flavour thanks to a jerk marinade that is best made at least a full day in advance. Serve these chicken legs with your favourite salad and sliced avocado, or other preferred sides — and say hello to the perfect summertime meal.

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BBQ jerk chicken legs

Jerk marinade

2 whole scotch bonnet peppers, stem removed

2 oz (58 g) fresh ginger, peeled and sliced

2 cloves fresh garlic

1 medium onion, peeled and roughly chopped

2 pieces green onion, roughly chopped

5 sprigs fresh parsley, leaves picked

8 fresh thyme sprigs, leaves picked

1 piece dried bay leaf

2 tbsp (30 mL) ground allspice

1/2 tsp (2.5 mL) ground clove

1 tbsp (15 mL) ground nutmeg

2 tbsp (30 mL) onion powder

2 tbsp (30 mL) garlic powder

1/2 tsp (2.5 mL) ground cumin

1/3 cup + 1 tbsp (100 mL) soya sauce

1/3 cup + 1 tbsp (100 mL) malt vinegar

4 oz (114 g) brown sugar

1 tbsp (15 mL) salt

7 oz (200 mL) vegetable oil

7 oz (200 mL) pineapple juice

Combine all ingredients into food processor or blender and process until mixture is smooth. Refrigerate marinade for at least 24 hours to combine flavours.

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Jerk chicken

12 boneless skin-on chicken thighs

Mix marinade with chicken legs and store in airtight container for a minimum of four hours, or up to 72 hours. Cook chicken legs in 375 F oven or medium heat BBQ until internal temperature reaches 165 F. Serve and enjoy.

Serves four.

Wine match:

Hot and spicy chicken calls for a cool and slightly sweet rosé served with a warm summer evening.

Kitsch Rosé 2020, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada, $27
A pinky/orange colour and strawberry bubblegum aromas preview a round rosé with a bump of sugar, giving it all the tools to take on jerk chicken.

Modest Wines The Eye of the Partridge Pinot Noir Rosé 2020, Similkameen Valley, British Columbia, Canada, $24.99
A ripe nose and a fair bit of sweetness on the palate are the perfect foil for this hot and spicy chicken dish.

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