Getting Past the Color Barrier

Color...is it always about black and white? No, of course not. Often, it's about red, white and pink.

I'm talking about wine, of course.

With the warmth of summer upon us, it's the time of year that fervent red wine drinkers hate to acknowledge--it's just too hot to drink red wine. As the seasons change, so does the palate, but staunch red wine drinkers are often loath to abandon their favorite wines to drink varietals that they largely believe to be "less than."

Many men I know will switch to vodka at this time of year, unable to get past the mental barrier of what they consider to be girly white wines. Frankly, they're scarred from years of watching their mothers and grandmothers drink that horrid concoction known as the wine spritzer

Considering that this particular recipe actually recommends adding peach schnapps or even--shudder--orange soda makes it clear why a manly Cab drinker would eschew the whites.

But if you're a person who likes the tannic taste of big reds, all is not lost. At their core, these wines lean toward the dry side. And there are plenty of white varietals that will give you a sense of satisfaction in the heat of summer.

If you live in a place with a lot of humidity, you will definitely appreciate the dry whites of Spain and Italy. These winemakers understand warm weather, and their crisp, clean offerings are great for a day out on the boat, at the beach, or a muggy backyard picnic.

From Spain, viura is the Spanish wine world's answer to the gin and tonic. The overall tone is dry and crisp, with a clean finish that offers faint hints of lime. Muy delicioso!

Italy brings us its fantastic world of pinot grigio. Unlike the viura wines, which tend to be fairly consistent in their flavor, pinot grigio does need a little more explanation, and perhaps exploration.

Pinot grigio tends to fall into three quality categories. At the lowest (and cheapest) end, the wine will be, again, dry and crisp with a slight hint of almond in the finish. As the wine increases in quality and price, the fruit flavors become more evident.

Personally, the driest, cheapest, pinot grigio is my favorite type. So if you lean toward drier wines that don't overwhelm your palate with a lot of fruit, you're going to want the cheap Italian pinot grigio. Best of all, you can find these bottles in nearly every region of the country for around $7 per bottle.

I emphasize Italian because California's version is just such a fruit-bomb in comparison. The big difference between Californian wines and their European cousins is that California's versions will always have a bigger body. Because of this, devotees of Caifornia chardonnay, for instance, often find the French chardonnay to be too watery for their tastes.

Conversely, California's pinot grigios have so much fruit in them that they start to taste like sauvignon blanc. Not that there's anything wrong with that. But it can really be too much peach, pear, and apple for me, particularly when I'm in a climate that has a lot of humidity. All that fruit becomes a little chewy and my taste buds go into overload when all they want is a crisp and quenching sensation.

But what if you're sharing a bottle with someone, and one person prefers fruit and the other likes dry and crisp? Head to South Africa. The wines of this region have been a staple in lands like Holland, but are relatively new to the States. Until recently, they were almost impossible to find, which is really a shame.

South African wines are still finding their place at American tables. But if you need a compromise wine, as is often the case when sharing a bottle, their blends can't be beat. The South Africans tend to produce blends that combine every grape in the field, offering a great middle-of-the road option--light fruit, medium body, nice clean finish.

Many wine drinkers are adamant in their dedication to one varietal, producer, or even color of wine. But the beauty of the grape lies in its nuance. There is truly something for everyone out there, in hidden bottles that you may have never considered. Breaking out of the rut will always be a hit-or-miss proposition. Fortunately, the fun of wine drinking sometimes comes from the fact that even a wine not necessarily suited to your palate will taste just fine at the bottom of the glass!