Hot nights, cool wines: What wines to drink this month

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The intense August heat inspires plenty of beer cravings, but the right wine can also quench your thirst and leave you refreshed. For advice on what to drink this month, we turned to Martin Wine Cellar General Manager Jim Wallace. His picks are nicely priced for late summer menus and poolside parties, and they’re also perfect for taking along on Labor Day getaways.

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Kila
Cava Brüt, 2015
$13

Sparkling wine fans understand two things: It can be consumed year-round, and Champagne is only one (pricier) option. This Spanish cava is a nice way to get your bubbles without going broke, and it can work on its own or as a base for a spritzy cocktail. “It has great richness for its price and delivers crisp, citrus flavors and a nice mineral finish,” Wallace says.

Pair it with: Oysters, grilled asparagus, main course salads and chili cheese fries (no joke!)

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French Pool Toy
Rosé, 2017
$11

What you notice off the bat with this French rosé is the plastic bottle. Don’t let that stop you. Remember when screw tops signaled rotgut? Now it’s commonplace for plenty of fine wines. This rosé is convenient for the pool, beach and other no-glass zones, but it drinks nicely, too. Wallace calls it “a no frills, grenache-based wine from Southern France with good, medium fruit, [and] a clean, dry and strawberry fruit-laced finish.”

Pair it with: A portable charcuterie picnic, chicken shawarma, boiled blue crabs

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Pike Road
Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley Oregon, 2015
$20

You need an Oregon pinot in your summer wine arsenal, and this one checks the boxes on both value and taste. Wallace says finding a Willamette Valley pinot noir for under $25 is getting harder. This one is an exception. “Medium-bodied, it oozes cherry fruit on the nose and palate, and wraps up with just enough acidity to balance everything out,” he says. Don’t forget to pronounce “Willamette” like “dammit.”

Pair it with: Grilled salmon with Moroccan spices, wild mushroom and chicken thigh risotto, duck breast with fresh blueberry glaze

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This article was originally published in the August 2018 issue of 225 Magazine.