People ask me about wine all the time, but two questions come up more than any others: What’s the best value? and what’s the best wine for summer?
The truth is there isn’t one.
Wine doesn’t exist in a vacuum. The same bottle of Bordeaux that thrills me at a winter tasting with fellow wine geeks can feel completely out of place at a family barbecue in July. Great wine is about the moment as much as the bottle.
Last weekend, sitting on a cottage deck overlooking the Northumberland Strait, I found myself thinking about the wines I’d want within arm’s reach in the cooler. Not necessarily the greatest wines in the world, but just the ones I’d happily sip on a warm afternoon.
Like most people, I don’t have the desire or the budget to spend hundreds of dollars on wine every weekend. My work allows me to taste some of the world’s most celebrated bottles, but at home my priorities are the same as everyone else’s. Groceries come before Grand Cru.
The Thrifty Picks
One of my favourite “why isn’t everyone drinking this?” wines is Parés Baltà Blanc de Pacs from Spain’s Penedès region. At $18.99 (currently on sale at the NSLC for $15.99), it delivers remarkable value.
What makes it special is its personality. This isn’t another anonymous crisp white. It’s built from the traditional Penedès grapes Parellada, Macabeu and Xarel·lo, giving it texture, citrus, herbs and just enough character to keep you interested. In some vintages Xarel·lo can show a faint rubbery note that divides opinion, but the current release is wonderfully balanced.
Parés Baltà also farms biodynamically, works with minimal intervention in the cellar and produces vegan wine. It’s a welcome bonus for those who value sustainable winemaking.
Another perennial favourite is Klein Zalze Chenin Blanc from South Africa (NSLC, $14.89). Fresh, bright and packed with citrus and orchard fruit, it’s exactly the kind of white that disappears quickly on a sunny afternoon.
When You Feel Like Splurging
When a summer seafood feed deserves something a little more special, two wines immediately come to mind.
De Alberto Sobre LÃas Verdejo from Spain’s Rueda region (Harvest, $27.49) is one of the country’s great affordable splurges. Think of Verdejo as Pinot Grigio and Sauvignon Blanc’s cool Spanish cousin. “Sobre lÃas” refers to aging the wine on its spent yeast after fermentation, giving it extra texture and subtle biscuit notes while preserving its vibrant citrus character. It’s a superb partner for lobster with drawn butter.
From South Africa, David & Nadia Chenin Blanc (The Port by the NSLC, $39.99) shows just how serious Chenin Blanc can be. Where the Klein Zalze is bright and uncomplicated, David & Nadia is layered, textured and quietly complex. Citrus, beeswax, orchard fruit and a stony mineral edge make it feel tailor-made for Atlantic seafood. It’s one of those wines that reminds you Chenin Blanc deserves to stand alongside the world’s great white varieties.
Reds for the Grill
Summer reds shouldn’t feel heavy.
Give me something juicy, vibrant and fresh enough to serve with a slight chill. Gamay and Pinot Noir are the obvious choices, but don’t overlook Frappato, Etna Rosso or a light Valpolicella. Feudi di Santa Tresa Frappato (Bishop’s Cellar, $26.00) and Tenute Orestiadi Frappato (Harvest, $28.99) are two fruit-forward, easy-drinking Sicilian reds that will happily join the whites in the ice bucket. They’re at their best with a slight chill.
If you’re firing up the barbecue and willing to open something a little more special, I’d happily reach for Peri Peri Totò Nero d’Avola (Select NSLC, $26.94), G.D. Vajra Kye Freisa (Harvest, $67.98) or Eduardo Torres Acosta Versante Nord Terre Siciliane (Harvest, $50.99). The Peri Peri Totò Nero d’Avola offers a remarkable mix of red fruit, spice and savoury notes. Think grilled herby kebabs. The Vajra is one of Piedmont’s great under-the-radar reds, bursting with blackberry, wild herbs and spice. It has the depth to stand up to grilled steaks and lamb, yet enough freshness to keep it lively on a warm evening. The Versante Nord, grown on the northern slopes of Mount Etna, is all about elegance rather than power. Fragrant with sour cherry, wild strawberry and volcanic minerality, it’s the kind of wine that makes grilled sausages, pork or smoky vegetables taste even better. Both remind us that some of the best summer reds don’t come from the usual places.
Drink Local
Nova Scotia continues to produce wines that surprise visitors and remind locals just how fortunate we are.
Tidal Bay from producers such as Lightfoot & Wolfville, L’Acadie Vineyards and Blomidon are perennial summer favourites. For me, though, few wines say Maritime summer better than Benjamin Bridge NV Brut alongside oysters, clams or mussels.
For red, don’t overlook Lightfoot & Wolfville Fauna. Fresh, elegant and wonderfully food-friendly, it’s made for grilled pork, cedar-planked salmon or a charcuterie board on the deck. It’s also a reminder of just how far Nova Scotia red wines have come over the past decade.
One Final Thought
Every summer someone discovers a new favourite wine. Rarely is it the bottle they always buy. That’s part of the fun. This season, step outside your comfort zone. Pick up a Chenin Blanc instead of another Sauvignon Blanc. Try a Spanish white you’ve never heard of. Open an Italian red with the barbecue. Pour something local with seafood, as ultimately the best wine of summer may simply be the one you haven’t tasted y
