White nights

I go through a slew of white wines this time of year, occasionally hitting on ones that stand out. These two were terrific food wines, pairing well with recent dishes from my kitchen like crawfish risotto, gazpacho and tuna tartare.

Maurtison’s 2009 Sauvignon Blanc from Dry Creek Valley is unoaked and pops with pineapple and stone fruit. This wine screams for a dish that fights back like a spicy tuna roll or chicken in green curry. It’s about $15 from Calandro’s on Government.

At Whole Foods, I picked up the winning Simonnet-Febvre’s 2009 Saint-Bris Sauvignon. Priced at about $14, it features a floral nose, citrus on the mid-palate and grassy notes on the finish. Crisp and summery, I served this outdoors with a toasted baguette and smoke white fish spread.

Sauvignon Blanc remains the summer’s most versatile varietal, forgiving of this dismal heat and always ready to rise to a new dish.