Anthony Gismondi: Best wines to bring to a summer dinner party

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Summer is here, bringing garden parties, block parties, and barbecues. Whether you are the host or a guest, it can be perplexing. For instance, what does one wear? Shorts or slacks, cotton or linen, runners or slides? If you tend to agonize over such things, you might be interested to know that in a city full of wine drinkers, which wine you show up with may say more about you than how well you are dressed.

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OK, maybe it’s not that crucial, but if your bottle matches 10 others on the counter or in the ice bucket, you may as well not show up. Know that you can be as adventurous as ever in summer with your wine pick, all in the name of fun and discovery. There is something about eating and drinking outdoors in the summer that is hard to resist, and bottles that offer instant gratification are usually a great fit in an al fresco environment. Indeed, if the warm weather continues, fresh, aromatic wine will have much appeal.

The good news is that light and refreshing don’t have to mean flavourless and flabby, nor should the wine possess a finish longer than B.C. Ferry waiting times on a long weekend. The perfect summer sipper balances fruit and acid, and has moderate alcohol, minimal oak, and a clean, crisp finish. And the best part? It shouldn’t cost an arm and leg, so you can enjoy a great summer wine without breaking the bank.

Mineral, chalk and citrus are excellent white wine flavours; red fruits and soft tannins are the attributes one associates with summer barbecue reds. Don’t forget rosé. It has more mouth weight than most whites but won’t overpower the food like red wine tannins might. Less acidity and lower alcohol are two critical features of dry rosé, which allow it to pair well with various warm and cold dishes.

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Now that you are ready to start sipping, the question is, what should you bring to the party? Grapes like Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer, unoaked Chardonnay and Viognier come quickly to mind; and the younger and fresher the better. You can add Chenin Blanc and Roussanne to that list and blends that involve many of the grapes above.

The local wine has never been better, but don’t forget your European options, where the source of summer whites is generous and affordable. Fresh and food-friendly with plenty of acidity, look to Italy, Greece, Spain, and Portugal, which have several intriguing classic standards. Vinho Verde, Assyrtiko, Vermentino, Arneis, Albarino, and Picpoul are just a few of the grapes in play.

Lighter red wine is more of a challenge, but anything that doesn’t see much oak would be a good start. Throw in some Gamay, Grenache, Zinfandel and Pinot Noir, and you are ready to hit the patio. If you are too busy to come up with your list, here is a short list of wines that will get you noticed wherever you serve them. All you need now is something to wear.

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Sauvignon Blanc is having a moment, and there is plenty to choose from. If you regularly reach for Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand at $21.99, why not switch it up; we like the Kono Sauvignon Blanc at $19.99. The Vina Leyda Reserve from Chile is on sale at $13.49, and the revamped Mouton Cadet Blanc is marked down to $16.99, which is well worth a try. Consistently solid is the Lurton les Fumees Blanches, $19.99

Cote du Rhone Blanc, a white Grenache blend from France, is a tasty summer choice and could include the Louis Bernard, $17.99; the Meffre Saint Vincent, $18.99; and from further south in the Languedoc, a perennial star is the Bila Haut Roussanne Blanc $19.99.

For the adventurous, the Ormarine Picpoul de Pinet, $18.99, will charm you. From Italy, the Rapitala Grillo at $14.99 is perfect for summer pasta; from Abruzzo, the Barone di Valforte Pecorino is on sale at $19.99. The Fontanafredda Langhe Arneis should be a summer staple for the curious. Look for more picks on our Weekend Picks page.

Weekend wine picks

Kono Sauvignon Blanc 2022, Marlborough, New Zealand

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$19.99 I 88/100

UPC: 9421003134010

It is party time with this reliable Marlborough Sauvignon producer. Bright and fresh, it leads with a mix of guava and citrus in an easy-sipping white where the acidity is in check. The style is fruit-driven, but they halt the fermentation with a touch of residual sugar to balance the palate and finish. Expect a bit of candied pear and grapefruit on the dry end.

Argiolas Costamolino Vermentino di Sardegna 2022, Sardinia, Italy

$21.99 I 90/100

UPC: 8010544110754

This Vermentino comes from cool, hillside vineyards set above the Mediterranean in Sardegna. The nose is an enticing floral affair with lemon and ginger that spills onto a mid-palate of quince and juicy, ripe stone fruit with a twist of tangerine. Seafood, including squid, crab, clams, and mussels, is best here. Serve throughout summer.

Les Mésanges Côtes du Rhône White 2022, Rhone Valley, France

$20-$23 I 88/100

UPC: 3760052893711

This Côtes du Rhône white is a 60/20/20 mix of Viognier/Grenache Blanc/Roussanne. It’s a pleasant mix of ripe peach and racy bitter grapefruit. It’s fresh, mouth-filling, and ready to drink — a perfect party white for seafood bites or summer salads. Private wine shops only.

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L’Artisan Le Grenache Noir 2021, Sud de France

$19.99 I 88/100

UPC: 3453040011128

The Grenache opens with bright, savoury, complex aromas of small black fruits and florals. The palate is a nervy black raspberry affair with spicy balsamic notes in the back end. A solid red from winemaker Jean Claude Mas for the barbecue that will work with grilled chicken or beef.

Jean-Marc Brocard Chablis Montmains 1er Cru 2021, Chablis, Burgundy, France

$57.99 I 92/100

UPC: 03436801109111

Montmains 1er Cru Chablis is a winner if you need to step it up. Its mineral-rich terroir significantly impacts the wine, contributing to its stony character and floral undertones. The coolish 2021 is a saline mineral affair pitching citrus and licorice, all contained in its subtle, taut, leesy textures. It is a beautiful food wine that is only beginning its life. Oysters, anyone? Delicious.

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If you are a Pinot Gris fan, the 2024 National Wine Awards attracted 38 Canadian-grown and made Pinot Gris/Pinot Grigio entries. Twelve wines scored 90 points or higher, and five were from B.C. Here are the top-scoring B.C. wines in order: (91/100 Mayhem 2023 Pinot Gris $22, 91/100 Unsworth Vineyards 2023 Saison Vineyard Pinot Gris $31, 91/100 Tightrope 2023 Pinot Gris $25, 90/100 SpearHead 2022 Pinot Gris Golden Retreat Vineyard $28 and 90/100 Peak Cellars 2022 Pinot Gris $26.

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Maison Joseph Drouhin, respected for the quality of its Burgundy wines, is taking a new step in its sustainability commitment, making its first wine shipment by sailboat. In partnership with TOWT (TransOceanic Wind Transport), 15,000 bottles of 2022 Chablis and Côte de Beaune white wines will set sail this summer for a transatlantic voyage between Le Havre and New York. This carbonless navigation allows for a 90 per cent reduction in CO2 emissions and a 98 per cent reduction in sulphur oxide emissions while ensuring the quality and integrity of the wines during the 15-day voyage. Nothing is perfect, and I realize it’s a drop in the bucket. Still, sustainability starts with each of us doing what we can, including installing a new washer on a dripping tap and exploring wind-power navigation across the Atlantic. This first transatlantic voyage by sailboat is set to become a regular occurrence, with two annual shipments planned in the coming years until the fleet expands.

B.C. wine of the week

Fort Berens White Gold Reserve 2022, Lillooet

$31.99 I 91/100

UPC: 626990118510

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This is the best wine we have tasted from Fort Berens since they arrived in Lillooet. It is all Dry Creek Vineyard, Lillooet-sourced and 100 per cent Chardonnay. Previously, this wine had a strong California bent, but we see more finesse this year and terroir. Look for a juicy floral aromatic entry that excites you. The palate has intensity and length but with balance, mixing creamy textures, melon honey, and citrus saline notes with a touch of creamed corn in the finish. Warm days and cool nights are the perfect climate for this grape picked at optimal ripeness. Half of the fruit was de-stemmed and crushed with four hours of skin contact, adding freshness, while the other half was whole-cluster pressed for the richness factor. The ferment is wild in a mix of 225L and 400L French oak barrels, also used to age the wine for another nine months. Some 23 per cent of the oak was new,  20 per cent was second fill, and 57 per cent resided in neutral oak barrels.

Value wine of the week

Chateau de la Gravelle 2021, Muscadet, Pays Nantais, Loire, France

$19.99 I 89/100

UPC: 03760233942078

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Nothing says summer more than Muscadet Sèvre et Maine. Château de la Gravelle farms in the heart of the Sèvre et Maine appellation in Nantes. The winery buildings date back to Louis XIII and include the classic windmill displayed on the label. A mix of other sedimentary rocks and volcanic outfall is at the foundation of this wine, which jumps from the glass with a bright, mineral, green freshness. The texture is creamy and laced with green apples, stones, citrus and peach, with the perfect addition of time on lees (sur lie, as the French say). Summer fresh and food-friendly, it is currently on sale.

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