Warm weather calls for resreshing whites and roses

Monroe Baisden
Published: May 11, 2008

It looks like warm weather is finally here, and our wine preferences turn toward light to medium-bodied, refreshing whites and rosés.

One of my favorites is a very inexpensive white from the Coteaux du Languedoc in Southern France. The wine is made from the grape picpoul, also known as folle blanche, and produced by a large co-operative, Cave de Pomérols. There are more than 300 members producing over 600,000 cases of wine annually. There are actually six communes which are entitled to the name Picpoul de Pinet: Florensac, Pomerols, Pinet, Castelnau de Guers, Montagnac, and Meze. The particular cuvee we see here is named after a former sommelier at The Inn at Little Washington, Hugues Beaulieu.

Sometimes referred to as the “Muscadet of the South”, Picpoul de Pinet is pale yellow in color with green tints. There are fresh, fine aromas of grapefruit and exotic fruits. Lime flavors with typical focusing acidity are standard characteristics of the wine. It is a refreshing and lively quaff by itself, and truly wonderful paired with shellfish and other seafood.

To make the wine even more interesting, it is available in a 3-liter box , the equivalent of four bottles. Branded as La Petite Frog, it offers wine by-the-glass fresh from your refrigerator for four to five weeks, if it lasts that long.

My recommendation for a summer rosé is Tegernseerhof Zweigelt Rosé ‘07. The wine is made by Martin Mittelbach in Austria. Made from 100 percent Zweigelt, it offers strawberry and cherry flavors with lively acidity. It is smooth and juicy with an amazingly dry finish. The Mittelbach family took ownership of the property, approximately 24 hectares, five generations ago and produce some of the finest wines in Austria. I had the pleasure of visiting the winery and meeting Martin Mittlebach in February, 2007. His and his family’s dedication to producing fine wines was quite obvious.

Once the temperature rises, it is more difficult to keep your glass of white or rosé from warming up in the glass while you sip it on your deck or patio. Instead of using ice cubes, which will dilute it, remember to drop frozen grapes in the wine. This will keep it chilled, and you will have a nice treat at the end.

Monroe Baisden is the owner of Chateau du Reaux, a wine shop on East Davis Street. E-mail him at