Those among us who limit our white wine choices to chardonnay are short-changing ourselves, especially in summer when light, fruity wines with a touch or more of sweetness–riesling, chenin blanc and gewurztraminer prominent among them–truly are in season.
Just taste the 2000 vintage of Washington state gewurztraminer from Columbia Winery. It’s beautifully balanced. Natural acidity of the Columbia Valley fruit counters residual sugar, and notes of spice offer counterpoint to the floral aroma.
A sipping wine with character (and a modest 11.5 percent alcohol), it belongs at the dining table as well. The apple-peach-litchi flavor is well suited to smoked or aggressively spiced foods from the Asian and American recipe repertories. Furthermore, the price of $7 makes a trial purchase a low-risk investment.