Grape Crush: White hot summer

Corn on the cob with basil butter, fresh crudité with homemade hummus, shrimp burgers with lemon aioli: dishes like these spring effortlessly from Louisiana’s lush summer bounty. Local farmers markets are at their peak across the state right now, and our Red Stick Farmers Market in Baton Rouge is one of the largest, providing plenty of raw materials for countless warm-weather dishes.

Summer’s diverse, inspired menus scream for exploring different wines. This month, we look at three non-Chardonnay whites that pair beautifully with concoctions made easily from local ingredients, including dishes like zucchini and tomato gazpacho, orecchiette with salsa cruda and ricotta salata and mixed-berry sundaes with a splash of cassis. Even if you move to red wines throughout dinner, these whites serve as solid aperitifs that perform well with varied nibbles and starters. Click here to read more.—Maggie Heyn Richardson