Good value white wines for the hot summer

The summer heat has arrived early in Austin, making me think about the white wines of summer. This past Friday, the WineEnabler crew got together and put several white wines to the test.

The six wines we tasted were Michel Redde La Moynerie Pouilly-Fumé 2005 ($11.25!), Oro de Castilla Verdejo 2007 ($13.99), Pieropan Soave Classico 2007 ($18.99), Tasca d’Almerita Regaleali 2007 ($11.99) and Anselmi Capitel Foscarino 2004 ($8.75!).

Redde’s Pouilly Fumé and Anselmi’s Capitel Foscarino were purchased for half price on close-out. In fact, recently we have come across lots of French imports on sale considerably below their initial release price. It appears that some importers were speculating on the ’05 vintage and are now dumping the last of their ’05 stash for cash.

The WineEnabler team liked the wines from Pieropan and Redde, but these offerings were not particularly well-suited for pairing with our tasting meal. Both wines were, however, well suited for the cocktail hour or as a muse for the contemplation of deep thoughts.

Anselmi’s Capitel Foscarino 2004 was the most complex wine of the evening. The ’04 was fresh, giving no indication of oxidation. Taking a big sniff produced notes of club crackers and apples. The mouth feel of this wine was excellent with a medium-full body, plenty of acid and a long finish. The ’04 Anselmi would be a great house wine and at $8.75 a bottle, it will not break the bank.

Our favorite all around wine of the evening was the 2007 Tasca d’Almerita Regaleali. This IGT wine is a pale straw color with aromas of spicy apples and minerals. Showing a little spritz on the tongue, the ’07 Regaleali is light and refreshing with plenty of acid and a medium long finish – just what we like in a summer white wine for under $12.

We enjoyed tasting all of these wines. Each offered a refreshing break from the Texas heat. If you have found a summer wine, you think we should try, please let us know. It looks like a long, hot summer is ahead of us.

Check out these related posts:

1. Rosé, a great summer and barbeque wine
2. Cocktail and contemplation (C&C) wines
3. Three cheap summer whites!
4. Old World style white wines from Avanguardia
5. Summer nights and Nobilissima Pinot Grigio 2007