We’re in that time of the year that Georgians recognize as the false hope of fall, when a brief period of cooler weather is followed by another series of ripping hot days. So, variety is the key to how we dress, what we feel like eating and the wines we drink.
While we have many favorite wines, here are three styles that we have in heavy rotation right now. As they all cost less than $30 per bottle, we encourage you to seek them out.
Medici Ermete phermento lambrusco di sorbara. The current favorite for us is this dry, fizzy lambrusco made from the sorbara grape, which tends toward a deeper shade of rose, rather than inky red. It is bone-dry and refreshing, with flavors of watermelon rind and green strawberry, and it pairs as well with light, crunchy salads as it does with fried chicken or crab rangoon.
Olifantsberg Old Vine chenin blanc. The chenin blanc grape is chameleon-like, so we enjoy it year-round. It gives us various wines from all corners of the wine world — light and crisp, lush and sweet or delightfully bubbly. In frequent rotation for us right now are the luscious, dry chenin blancs of Olifantsberg, a small winery in the Breedekloof wine region of South Africa’s Western Cape. These wines have a pleasant, rounder weight to them that goes well with a cooler evening on the porch. They also have a clean mineral flavor and good, acidic taste on the finish, with a freshness that makes them pleasant on warmer days in September.
Stéphane Ogier Côtes du Rhône Le Temps est Venu. Côtes du Rhône wines arguably are the O.G. category of approachable red blends — both in style and price — but not all of them are equal. There are the bulk bargain versions, ubiquitous in the big-box stores, and then there are those made with care by remarkable producers. We recommend seeking out those from Stéphane Ogier, who makes exceptional wines in the Cote Rotie region. The winery’s Côtes du Rhônes are quality wines at an everyday price. This wine will be perfect for pot-roast weather; until then, it pairs very well with grilled burgers or steaks.
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