Beat the Heat with Cool Chablis and More
I’m always asked, “What is your favorite wine?” This is impossible to answer, given the huge diversity of wines from around the world. I am happy trying something new every time I open a bottle – and I encourage you to do the same!
But when push comes to shove, my wine friends know that dry, bright, wacky whites are my thing, particularly Chablis. (Ok, Chablis is not wacky; it’s quite the exceptional example of Chardonnay with a very defined sense of place).
Let’s take a look at Chablis and some other fun dry, bright whites that are perfect to beat the summer heat. This is just a start; I’ll share more in my next column.
Chardonnay from Chablis – Located in northern Burgundy in France, Chablis is a small region where its wines are made from 100% Chardonnay. When someone tells me they don’t like Chardonnay, it usually means they don’t like the bigger, oaked, buttered popcorn Chardonnays. Not all Chardonnays are created equal! Chablis wines are known for being racy, steely, with chalky, seashell flavors thanks to its well-known (among wine geeks like me) Kimmeridgian and Portlandian soils. This Chablis from Agnes and Didier Dauvissat has notes of Meyer lemon, green apple, white flower and that delish crushed chalk and oyster shell salinity.
Jacquère – A white grape found primarily in Savoie in the Auvergne-Rhone-Alps region of France, Jacquère grapes are often planted on mountain slopes. I usually look for wines from the Apremont cru such as this Domaine Marc Portaz Tete de Cuvée. This racy white has notes of honeysuckle, green apple, lime and rocky minerality.
Hondarrabi Zuri – this clean, high acid white grape from the Spanish Basque Country screams seafood and is the main grape of Txakoli wines! I have been digging the Aizpurua Txakoli de Getaria Bianco, a super affordable find from HEB with a slight effervescence and notes of tart green apple, lime citrus and salinity on the finish.
Furmint – given that grapes ferment into wine, this grape name cracks me up. A white grape from Hungary, Furmint is best known for its role in Tokaji Aszu dessert wines, but its bone-dry whites have a lot of complexity. The Fekete Pince “Aranyhegy” has a crazy ginger-petrol-smoke note along with lemon and yellow apples.
Picpoul Blanc – with a long history in the Langeudoc region in France, Picpoul is the traditional grape to make Cognac and translates into “lip stinger” because of its high acidity. Look for Picpoul de Pinet AOC wines or better yet, pick up a Texas Picpoul from Bending Branch Winery, which has notes of lemon, pineapple and apricot with a nice, round mouthfeel.
Gruner Veltiner – Grooner! Hailing from Austria, Gruner comes close to being my favorite white behind Chablis. Maybe because it’s often found in 1-liter bottles or because of its zippy, white pepper finish that I love. This Stefan Roser has notes of apple, lemon, spicy white pepper and minerality. (I feel like I have succeeded in life since my daughter almost always has a botte of Gruner in her fridge.)
Stay cool friends!
Denise Clarke is an avid wine enthusiast who loves sharing and teaching people about wine. She is a Certified Wine Educator, Certified Sommelier, WSET Advanced graduate and an expert on Texas wine. Owner of Denise Clarke PR, she currently represents Texas Fine Wine and the Texas Department of Agriculture’s Wine Marketing Program. She has lived in Austin for more than 30 years and when she is not swirling and sipping wine, she can be found on her bike, climbing every hill she can find.
Follow Denise on IG at @deniseclarkeTX for more wine recommendations.
