Beat the Heat with these ‘Go-to’ favorites.
Last week, I introduced you to some of my favorite, and a bit wacky, white wines. I was just getting started! Here are a few more of my go-to whites when dining out or sipping at home.
Müller Thurgau – this cross between Riesling and Madeleine Royal is found around the world but most notably in Germany, Austria and Northern Italy. Meant to drink young, Mülller Thurgau wines are lively and aromatic. The Kellerei Kurtatsch Müller Thurgau from Alto Adige has notes of lemon and stone fruit. (Check out how the wine looks in the glass – not sure how that happened but I love it!)
Sémillon – most well known as a blending grape with Sauvignon Blanc for dry white Bordeaux wines and as the golden-skinned grape used to make sweet dessert wines in the Sauternes and Barsac regions of France, Semillon also makes a single-varietal wine in Hunter Valley, Australia. The 2013 de iuliis Semillon has a waxy texture with tart citrus, green apple, honey and a hint of flint and oxidation.
Carricante – the primary grape in Etna Bianco white wines from Sicily on the slopes of the Etna volcano, these wines are known for their seaside salty and mineral notes. I picked up this Benanti Viticoltori from Neighborhood Vintner and will go back for more! Great notes of flower, flint and sea scents with racy acidity.
Aligote – considered the step-sister to Chardonnay in Burgundy, Aligote makes dry, bright whites that are super refreshing. This Domaine Sorin Coquard has notes of white flower, lemon citrus and green apple with a hint of smoky flint on the finish.
Listan Blanco (aka as Palomino Fino in other parts of Spain) – a white wine grape from the volcanic soils of Tenerife in the Canary Islands of Spain makes me think of my friends Laura and Troy who cycled there several years ago. This Suertes del Marqués Trenzado is made from 100+year-old vines and offers notes of apple, pear, peach and this wacky gasoline/struck match note. (Hope to cycle in the Canary Islands one day!).
Melon de Bourgogne – also known as Muscadet, this is your go-to wine for seafood. The dominant Loire Valley grape from around Nantes where the Loire River meets the Atlantic Ocean, Muscadet wines are bright and fresh. I usually look for Muscadet Sur Lie wines, which means the wine that has been left on the lees (spent yeast) to give it a fuller flavor and creamier texture. This 2020 La Cave du Coudray Muscadet Réserve du Chiron has notes of floral, lemon and salinity.
Stay cool with some of these bright whites.
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.
