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- n144mann - 03-16-1999

Hey, any of you guys from the warm country got any favorite easy drinkers to recommend for the pool this summer?? Nancy<===serious case of spring fever!! I know....why this question now?? Because around here, if you don't plan ahead for summer, you blink and miss it all together. [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb/smile.gif[/img]
Later Guys!
Nancy

[This message has been edited by n144mann (edited 03-16-99).]

- Karena Shannon - 03-17-1999

Some "pool" wines that come to mind...

Navarro "Edelzwicker" ~$8/750; usually only available at the winery---they do have a web page.

Any Moscato D' Asti (again, ask Roberto about any of these Italian wines)

A nice crisp rose, such as Bonny Doon's Vin Gris de Cigare, is always nice with, say, hot dogs or ham sandwiches. (just wait forty-five minutes <G> ) I've seen it for ~$6---your price may vary.

My favorite "pool wine" was Bonny Doon's Moscato Di' Solo, a muscat canelli with an intentional second fermentation and a good dollop of residual sugar. Just made you want to drop a couple of ice cubes in it and kick back in the hot tub...but they don't make it anymore, too expensive and too much bottle variation. Sigh.

- Woodman - 03-17-1999

Gotta love the Edelzwicker suggestion. Karena is always good for something like this. I swear she has a brain concocted by Oracle.

- RickBin389 - 03-20-1999

Hi Nancy,

What to drink when baking in the heat?????
a couple of things we like down here in beautiful sunny SW Florida:
REDS-
Bonny Doon Big House Red - this is a great little med blend.
LA JOTA " little j" - when they make it, when you can find it.....carignane

WHITES-
PINE RIDGE chenin blanc....like lemonade in the sun
MARCELL DEISS pinot blanc, alsace....see above but with a bit more back bone & finish

must be pretty cold up there.........

- n144mann - 03-20-1999

Hi Rick,
<must be pretty cold up there>
Yep, we are still cold here. About mid-40's on a warm day. Heard it might snow again the beginning of the week. Nancy<==weeping!

As for warm and beautiful SW Florida, I am sure I will hear all about it when my family returns. Mom,Dad, brother and his family are all down in Sanibel now. (family has a timeshare there for a couple of weeks each year) Next spring I'm hauling the kids out of school and we are going even if we have to walk there!

Thanks for the ideas!! (and thanks again for the list! [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb/smile.gif[/img] )

Nancy



[This message has been edited by n144mann (edited 03-20-99).]

- Dick Peterson - 03-21-1999

At the risk of seeming self-serving I think the best pool wine for many people might be Folie a Deux "Menage a Trois." It's light, off dry, pleasant and fruity. Made from three varieties (you knew that from the name): Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc and Muscat de Frontignon. There are differences from vintage to vintage but not big differences. You can taste it at the winery before buying. Can't remember the exact price but it's around $8 in California.

- Jerry D Mead - 03-21-1999

Dr. Peterson is a partner in Folie A Deux where Scott Harvey is now winemaker (Scott used to be winemaker at Renwood/Santino). Melange a Trois is a refresher.

Louis Martini is just releasing "Sweet Caroline"...a Gewurz, Muscat, Sauvignon, Semillon blend...it's kind of sweet but very tasty. Great package...white frosted bottle with silver on white lace label. It's a tad pricy at $18.

JDM

- n144mann - 03-21-1999

Gee, you guys are just full of ideas!! I love it. As for $18 a bottle, it would have to be a formal pool day, black suit affair! [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb/biggrin.gif[/img] Just kiddin' WC. I do appreciate all of your suggestions and I will try them all if I can get them out here in never never land. Thanks again!!

Nancy

- Randy Caparoso - 03-28-1999

Geez, Nancy, you're going lots of places where I have done tremendous research over the years. I live in Hawaii, which is perpetually warm; meaning countless hours spent with my feet in the water with a glass in hand. Tough job, but someone has to do it.

The operative terms for summertime wines for me are cold, light, and refreshing. I noticed some of the wines others recommended are sweet edged (particularly the Muscats or blends with Muscat and/or Chenin Blanc), and so I would caution you about that. You and your husband seem like the type that would prefer their wines dry.

But Muscats ARE ideal because they can be so light (7%-10% alc.) and flowery fresh; but remember that bone dry Muscats are definitely to be found as well. I recently tasted a wonderful '96 Muscat "Grand Cru" by Domaine Hurst, for instance; an Alsatian growth which is intensely musky-minerally-floral, very clean and fresh in the finish (none of the bitterness associated with the varietal). If you don't see this producer in your area, I would certainly consider others from Alsace you may chance to come across.

Another unusually bone dry Muscat that I tasted recently is the '97 Bolognani Moscato from the Piemonte of Italy; whispery soft, tender, lusciously fruity and, of course, fresh and perfumey. Very unusual, because Italian Moscato's invariably fall on the sweet side.

Now for my all-time favorite poolside wines: bone dry pinks. Although pink wines are indeed fun, I always consider the dry versions to be somewhat serious as well -- since the better ones are definitely made from very serious grapes (such as Pinot Noir, Sangiovese, Cabernet Franc and Syrah), and often by some of the world's most skilled winemakers. All of the following should be available in '97 or '98 vintages by this coming summer, and you should definitely consider them since they are all unfailingly good, summer after summer:

1. Etude, Carneros Rose - Primarily from the Pinot Noir by winemaster Tony Soter; always fresh, soft, and as fragrant as the sweetest summer breeze; and deceptively lithe, long flavors.

2. Beringer, "Rose de Saignee" - a juicy, voluptuous (yet bone dry!) pink wine made from the Pinot Noir and Syrah grapes; absolutely no rough tannin/alcohol edges, just smooth, smooth, smooth.

3. Regaleali, Rosato - From Sicily, and made from native Sicilian grapes; an unbelievably lush, round, aromatic pink wine, giving fresh berry tea-like fragrances and flavors that finish dry, yet just don't quit on the palate. A real mouthful of a rose!

4. Beringer "LVS" White Zinfandel - When White Zin is good, it is very, very good. It's the nature of the grape to give intense, fresh berry/watermelony flavors! Although you could quibble with the faintest whisper of sugar in this wine, it is for all intents and purposes a dry style; finishing soft and gentle. The best of this much maligned genre!

5. Charles Joguet, Chinon Rose - This is a little esoteric; made in the Loire River Region by perhaps the world's most respected Cabernet Franc master. Very gentle -- as all good pink wine should be -- very pale pink, but very flavorful, with subtle strawberry scent with faint rose petal leafiness, and long, lingering, yet perfectly dry flavors.

6. Iron Horse, Sangiovese Rosato - From Sonoma, a richly scented wine (tea, fresh cherry/strawberry qualities, and a light spring leafiness) of medium weight and medium yet zesty acidity; a little short on the finish, but fresh and airy nevertheless.

7. Robert Sinskey, Vin Gris of Pinot Noir - Like the Etude, only a few hundred cases of this wine are made each year (since they are "saignees" -- essentially made from juice "bled" off red wine vats to make these wineries' red Pinot Noirs more intense). If you see this one, snap it up. Sinskey likes to make their's a little lighter, easier, soft and -- picking up the lush pepperminty/strawberry Pinot Noir flavor -- long, supple and finely textured on the palate.

There are, of course, lots of other highly regarded dry pink wines of the world. I'm thinking particularly of those made primarily from the Grenache grape -- such as those from the famous Tavel region of southern France, and from California, Bonny Doon's Vin Gris de Cigare and Joseph Phelps' Vin du Mistral Grenache Rose. To be honest, I'm not recommending as highly because they tend to have a slightly harder, fuller, heavier, more dominant taste if you will. It's the nature of the Grenache grape to be like this -- which, in my mind, make them more ideal in the context of food (like summer chicken and vegetable barbecues in fresh herb marinades), but less desirable just for sitting around the edge of the pool and sipping between dips. So look into the Grenache-based pinks if they sound interesting. Just keep in mind the difference between them and those made from other red varietals. Enjoy!

- Randy Caparoso - 03-28-1999

Oh, how could I forget? The other great dry pink wine of France (and therefore the world) are those from Bandol -- usually made from Grenache with some Cinsault. The Bandols of Domaine Tempier (which inspired Alice Waters and Kermit Lynch) and Domaine Pibarnon, for instance, are legendary. But again, these are dominant, somewhat stony dry, medium to almost medium-full styles of pink wine, which just cry for Provencal or Mediterranean inspired foods. They also retail for closer to $20 these days. By all means, look for them for the experience, and find out what the fuss is all about.

- n144mann - 03-28-1999

Thanks Randy!! You are building quite a list in my data base!! I take recommends from here and put them in a data base under that persons names....ie Rick's Picks..Ben's buys... Randy's Rads etc. then, I can print them.....or just refer to them to refresh my memory before going shopping for a certain wine type. Also add the descriptions. After tasting a wine, I put in my opinions of the wine along with the original description. Works rather nicely. Hubbie thinks I'm nuts!!
I started by just looking back at the postings.....but it was too hard to remember where they all were listed. Spent more time looking for them than reading them. Thanks again!!



[This message has been edited by n144mann (edited 03-28-99).]

- Randy Caparoso - 03-28-1999

You're welcome. Now if only I can convince MY spouse that this built-up information is good for some'n.

- Jerry D Mead - 03-29-1999

Meanwhile...back to the theme...poolside wines..We only had one gold medal winning White Zin this year, and as such takes the TRophy for Best New World White Zin...and it's a $5 or under wine!!!

Delicato 1997...it is pretty sweet, but lots of strawberry-cherry fruit and a pretty good zing of acidity. You can't bitch at the price.

- n144mann - 03-29-1999

Thanks Curmy!!! we will add it to the list!

- Thomas - 03-29-1999

Nancy,
Aren't you in the Midwest? Look for Vignoles (used to be named Ravat) -- not the late harvest, just the regular. When made well, pineapple-grapefruit qualities make it a marvelous sipping wine.
Michigan has some Vignoles, and the Finger Lakes has some great ones. I believe Ohio might also have some, as wells as Erie district in Pennsylvania.

- n144mann - 03-29-1999

Yes foodie, I'm in MN. I will ask about it next time I see Doug my retail guy. Don't remember seeing them, but that doesn't mean they are not around somewhere in the store.

The good news is

ITS STARTING TO LOOK LIKE SPRING!!! Will be opening the pool soon!!! (course can't actually swim till May sometime [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb/frown.gif[/img] )

Thanks foodie for your help! Who knows...maybe I can turn a few of my non wine friends with these easy drinkers.... Have one that is "on" to Port....I bet she would like some of the sweet ones! (course she is not buying it yet.....just comes and drinks mine)

Nancy

[This message has been edited by n144mann (edited 03-29-99).]

- Thomas - 03-30-1999

Nancy,

I have many friends who love drinking wine -- at my home.

On neighbor drinks Carlo Rossi with daily meals, and when he wants something better, he invites me over (knowing I'll come with a bottle or two) or he invites himself over here.

- wondersofwine - 04-26-2007

Found this when I did a search under Scott Harvey. Many interesting rose' wine suggestions (not sure all are still produced) along with refreshing summer whites. Worth a recycling I thought as the weather heats up (in upper 80's here).

- Kcwhippet - 04-26-2007

This is sure a blast out of the past. I haven't seen a post from Jerry Mead in a long while. Then there are also replies from Randy Caporoso and Dr. Dick Peterson. Some real nostalgia.

- hotwine - 04-26-2007

Speaking of Randy C.... what happened to him? And also Roberto.... haven't heard from either in many a moon.