Chill out

Winter's enormous mounds of snow have melted away, replaced with green grass and blooming trees. Boats are buzzing across the lake and waves are lapping at the shore. Lakers have cleaned up decks and docks in preparation for grilling, relaxing and entertaining.

If your plans include enjoying a glass of wine, you may be wondering what types provide maximum refreshment on a warm day at the lake. The obvious answer is chilled wines, but which ones and how cold?

Wine basically comes in three shades of color – red, white and pink. Red wines are made by crushing entire clusters of grapes, including skins and seeds, and adding yeast to kick off fermentation. The skins impart into the wine pigments and tannin, which taste like strong, unsweetened tea.

Wine also contains acid, which tastes tart like lemon juice. Some red wines, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, have thick skins that infuse the wine with copious tannins. When such a wine is chilled, it seems bitter and astringent. Therefore, heavy reds should be served at room temperature.

Pink wines, also known as rosé or blush wines, are usually made by crushing red grapes as noted above, but draining off the juice after a short time so only a smidgen of red pigment and minimal tannins are imparted into the wines. The lack of tannin and profusion of strawberry fruitiness makes these wines delightful for chilled sipping.

Pink wines are not necessarily sweet. The winemaker can stop fermentation by chilling the tank, thereby retaining some sweetness, or he can allow the yeast to ferment to completion, yielding a dry wine.

Smith Mountain Lake resident Ron Kollman said his wife, Cindie, loves dry French rosé for summertime.

"People that like rosé are surprised when you serve them one that is not sweet," said Kollman, a member of the SML Wine Tasters Club.

White wine is made by a different process. White grapes are picked and placed in a press and gently squeezed. A straining device catches the skins and solids, so that only juice flows into the fermentation vessel. No skins and seeds means no tannins. White wine still contains acidity that imparts a bracing, refreshing character when served chilled. White wines served at room temperature will taste cloying and murky.

Americans have a proclivity to serve everything well chilled, sometimes overdoing it. Countless beer commercials featuring frosty beverages have drummed cold consciousness into our brains.White wine does not benefit from being ice cold because the aromas and nuanced flavors are muted.  

"If wines are chilled too much, they lose their taste," said Ralph Brush, president of the SML Wine Tasters. "They should be served in the 50-to-55-degree range."  

To illustrate the point, try this: Chill a bottle to refrigerator temperature or place it in a bucket of ice until ice cold. Taste the wine and leave the bottle unencumbered on the table so it can slowly warm up. After a few minutes, taste the wine again and observe the difference.  

Club members Dee and Arnie Kropf recently visited New Zealand and fell in love with the un-oaked Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc produced there.  

"The wine has a distinctive citrus and grapefruit aroma and taste, and it is a fabulous wine for ‘chillin' at SML,'" Dee Kropf said, adding that the wine pairs well with salad, seafood and poultry.  

  Lighter red wines can also be enjoyed for summer sipping. Beaujolais, a French red made from the lean-skinned Gamay grape, is much less tannic than most reds. Its acidity and restrained tannins make it complex and inviting when served with a light chill. Try it with a heavier fish such as grilled salmon.Dry wines taste bitter served with dessert. Save your sweet wine for that.

Gordon Kendall has more than 20 years of experience in the wine business and is currently the wine, beer and spirits columnist for The Roanoke Times. He teaches wine classes and enjoys educating people on all things related to the industry. If you have an idea for a future Spirits column, please email gmoney007@cox.net.