Wine For the Dog Days of Summer

Wine for the dog days of summer

Like many of the folks who choose to live in our high desert climate, I love the dog days of summer.  That’s mostly because of the sunshine, but also because summer gives me an opportunity to experiment with white wines. 

I’m generally a red wine gal.  I like the texture and substance of cabernet sauvignon and Shiraz.  I like the spice and heft of a great red zinfandel.  But these wines are just a little too heavy for 90 degree weather and they tend to overwhelm the lighter fare we enjoy in the summer. 

So, what do we do during that “period between early July and early September when the hot sultry weather of summer usually occurs in the northern hemisphere” (which is how Webster’s defines “dog days”)?

Well this year, in addition to my usual sauvignon blanc preference, I’m recommending Riesling. 

Please pass the Riesling? Those are four words I never expected to put together!

My early experiences tasting wine convinced me that all wines made from Riesling grapes were alike--and not in a good way.  Many of the mass-produced, inexpensive Rieslings tend to be overly sweet and uninteresting--kind of like the Kool-Aid I grew up on.  But today, our options have improved dramatically.

A little background is in order.  Riesling likely has its origins in Germany, where much of the finest Riesling is still produced today.  The first grapes there were probably planted more than 600 years ago.  In addition to Germany, Riesling is grown in the Alsace region of France, in Austria, in Australia and New Zealand, in northern Italy, in California, in Washington, and, of course, in Oregon. 

The finest Rieslings from Germany are very complex and quite age-worthy.  Although many are sweet, the sweetness is contrasted with nice acidity and backbone, giving the wine a nice rounded, balanced flavor and texture.  Unfortunately, when Riesling was first brought to the New World, the winemakers discovered that it was easier to make large quantities of relatively simple sweet wine.  For those who were just discovering wine – or who drank it because there was no beer in sight – these simple sippers were just fine.  But after a while, they become quite boring.  With the same experience, I eventually gave up on Riesling, at least until recently.

Fortunately, I recently re-discovered the varietal.  Not only have I tried several very good German Rieslings (which I recommend, but beware that they are difficult to find in Central Oregon and tend to cost more than $30 per bottle), but I have also discovered several terrific American Rieslings that are great with food and won’t take all your gas money.  These wines are fruity and floral.  They are sweet, but not overwhelmingly so.  Some will remind you of peaches and apples.  Others will scream “pineapple” and/or “guava.”  One important note for all of them – don’t serve them straight from the refrigerator.  Serve them at about 47 degrees Fahrenheit – about the temperature they’ll be when they’ve been out of the fridge for 10 minutes or so.

A few inexpensive Rieslings that I recommend include Willamette Valley Vineyards Oregon Riesling (approximately $14) and Hogue Cellars (approximately $10) and J. Lohr (approximately $10), both from California.  Each of these will go very nicely as a sipping wine on a hot afternoon.  They also will pair well with shellfish or Asian food.  I love to drink Riesling with Indian food, such as tandoori chicken.

If you want a real treat, find yourself a late-harvest wine made from Riesling.  Believe it or not, this wine is the result of rot, the so-called “noble rot” that is caused by botrytis cinerea.  This fungus naturally occurs in many vineyards.  If the grapes are left past the usual harvest date, the fungus can shrivel the grapes, causing much of the water within them to evaporate.  The grapes look like raisins and are incredibly sweet.  They are also difficult to press and do not yield the volumes of wine that the normally harvested grapes do.  This means that these wines are expensive.  But they are excellent.

One of the things I’ve always liked about the summer is that it is that time of year which encourages boldness and experimentation.  Unlike winter, when you just feel like hunkering down indoors while the storm rages outside, summer make you want to get out of doors, try new things and go new places.  This summer, why not let a Riesling or any of the other excellent white wines available at local outlets be one of your experiments? You just might find a new passion in your life!