BRATTLEBORO — A short list of some of my favorite summer sippers:
• 2011 Anton Bauer, Grüner Veltliner, “Gmork,” Wagram, Austria: We tried all of the entry-level Grüners available to us when the 2011s were released, and this one had the perfect trifecta: great flavors, long finish, and tons of energy - wow!
Flavors include tart Granny Smith apples, lime zest, fresh peas, and a beautiful white pepper finish that just goes on and on. Speaking of peas, get some and try them with this wine, just straight out of the pods.
I call this my happy wine because it always puts a smile on my face. A bottle is always chilling at home.
Grüner is a very versatile grape, producing wines that range from 12 percent to 14.5 percent. If you are looking for a summer sipper, remember to look for a lower alcohol one. The Gmork lists 12.5 percent and feels almost weightless in the mouth.
• 2011 Balnea, Rueda (Verdejo): More citrus, though this time more along the lines of orange peel, along with some fresh herbs like parsley and chervil. I get a little something like clove on the finish. We call this one our “shower curtain” wine because of its label design.
Like Grüners, there is considerable range among Verdejos. We also love Shaya's verdejo, but I would hesitate to label that one a summer sipper. It's drop-dead delicious, but with more weight, it wants to be paired with bigger food.
• 2011 Broadbent Vinho Verde: Vinho Verdes come from the northern region of Portugal and vary widely since there are something like 15 different varieties from which it may be produced.
The white Vinho Verdes usually are very low alcohol. Vinho Verde, after all, means “green wine,” a term thought to refer to the ripeness of the grapes when picked. Since they are not very ripe, and therefore sugar levels are not high, alcohol levels are correspondingly low.
That makes Vinho Verde a great brunch or late-afternoon wine since you can have a small glass and still carry on with your day.
Want to reward yourself for weeding that section that has been annoying you for so long? How about a glass of Vinho Verde at 4 p.m.? You can still go on a walk or get back to work.
• 2011 Suavia, Soave Classico (100 percent Garganega): For those of you of a certain age, remember when Soave had no identity? Well, no more! This one has a pretty nose of lemon-lime, white flowers, wet rocks (like the ones on which you sit while talking with friends, dripping and air-drying, after coming out of the river).
We visited Suavia a few years back. Meri Tessari, one of the three young women who now run the winery handed down across generations, told me that she loves coming home from trips, walking in the vineyards, and getting restored. The wine generates the passion of this family.
• Rosé: We are lucky in the past several years to have a veritable deluge of rosés enter Vermont's market. My favorite is no longer available this year but, generally speaking, if you look at alcohol levels and pick something from the South of France or the Loire, you might find your own summer sipper.