Summer fits

The heat is here, and it’s a great time to recalibrate your wine drinking habits to the temperatures and tastes of a south Louisiana summer. There are innumerable fabulous wines out there that work well with summer produce, grilled seafood, complex salads and cheeses; the challenge is narrowing the field. The wines selected here are a great place to start. They’re nicely priced and widely available, and best of all, they complement seasonal cooking without overpowering it.

“Magnolia Lane” • Sauvignon Blanc • 2011
Sonoma Valley • $14

Despite the enduring popularity of Chardonnays, Sauvignon Blanc, if you ask me, is the world’s most food-friendly and versatile white varietal because it gets out of the way. Sure, there’s a time and place for buttery, oaky whites, but the summer is better served by crisp, acidic little numbers that make food sing. Kunde Family Estate’s Magnolia Lane has a soft stone fruit taste and good minerality. Moreover, says Matherne’s Supermarket General Manager and wine expert Bill Hounshell, “It hasn’t succumbed to the popularity of grapefruit pith.” Hounshell visits Napa and Sonoma valleys annually and usually schedules a catch-up with winemaker Jeff Kunde that always begins with a glass of Magnolia Lane. Try it poolside or on the deck with a tray of melon and prosciutto.

Crianza • 2008
Rioja, Spain • $10

Reds that fit with a Louisiana summer should be mid-weight, featuring enough body to perform against our bold fare, while not being so meaty that they overpower the food or the mood. Tempranillo is a great varietal for the job. Marques de Caceres’s 2008 Crianza presents juicy berry fruit and cherries, a hint of vanilla and just enough spice to pair nicely with barbecue. It’s not quite big enough for a steak, adds Hounshell, but it likes just about everything else off the grill.

Cabernet Sauvignon • 2010
Mendocino • $11

The 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon from Bliss isn’t a big Napa Valley Cab, but it is a good value wine found by the glass and bottle in a number of restaurants around town. Look for dark fruit, notes of spice and dark chocolate. Nice tannins give it range enough to pair with grilled kabobs, rolled flank steak with spinach, prosciutto and goat cheese and sirloin with blue cheese sauce.