Varietal: Pinot Noir
Region: France
Cost: $15 – $20

Deep garnet in color with spice on the nose that leads into flavors of raspberry and spice with balanced tannins on the finish.  Pair with pork, seafood,  or Thanksgiving dinner.

Recommendations: Originally bought for Thanksgiving dinner, this bottle didn’t get opened until the day after when the wife and I were unwinding from the whirlwind of family and food that was Turkey Day.

Paired with a dinner of munchy food, this Pinot Noir was more robust than the Kenwood Vineyards Pinot we had enjoyed the night before, with more spice and a bit more tannin on the finish, as well as a touch of effervescence that was quite refreshing.

While I can’t say that it was my favorite Pinot Noir, it was certainly enjoyable, and for the price it’s hard to beat that for a French Pinot.  Definitely worth picking up if you’re in the market for a French red wine and enjoy Pinot Noir.

Varietal: Chardonnay
Region: South Australia
Cost: $11

An unwooded Chardonnay, offering crisp flavors of apple and citrus.  Pairs with chicken, pork, seafood, or light appetizers.

Recommendations: My wife is not a fan of oaked Chardonnay, so when we saw this in the store, we thought we’d give it a try.  The initial flavors of the wine are crisp with plenty of citrus and granny smith apple both on the nose and on the palate, which was perfect for the grilled chicken dinner we paired it with.

However, I found the finish of this wine to be a bit rough.  It’s certainly not as rough as the Mirassou Chardonnay that I’ve already reviewed on here.  That being said, the finish eventually began to bother me, especially after we had finished our food and were just sipping on the wine.  Maybe with a juicy piece of pork it wouldn’t be as noticeable, but with the chicken (that I’ll admit I overcooked), it just wasn’t as enjoyable as I would have hoped.

If you liked the Mirassou Chardonnay you’ll like this, but if you’re looking for a crisp finish to your unoaked Chardonnay you’ll want to pass on this one.

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Light and juicy with just enough grapefruit flavor to let you know it’s a Sauvignon Blanc wthout overwhelming you with citrus flavors.  Great for seafood, sushi, appetizers, or on the patio.

Recommendations: While Terra Andina Sauvignon Blanc has take its place in my heart as my go-to summer deck wine, Ponga is certainly giving it a run for the its money.  Light and crisp with just enough citrus to be refreshing without beating you over the head with it, this white from New Zealand was the perfect compliment to a lunch of cheese, crackers, hummus, and home made bruschetta that my wife and I enjoyed this past weekend.  That being said, I would definitly recommend pairing the Ponga with a piece of spicy tilapia or even some sushi.

If you’re in the market for a deck wine and don’t want to spend a lot of money on it, the Ponga Sauvignon Blanc is a great value with a great taste.  Half the fun of drinking it is just saying the name, but you’ll get a lot of enjoyment drinking this on the deck as the temperature continues to climb.  Grab this one.

Varietal: Rioja (white)
Region: Spain
Cost: $8

A dry white wine with a crisp finish and slight acidity.  Aromas of almond and wildflower on the nose go well with the flavors and allow this wine to pair well with chicken, pork, seafood or on the deck.

Recommendations: As fans of the more traditional red rioja, my wife and I were intrigued when we saw this at our local grocer.  For the price alone we figured it was worth it, and I can say that his light to medium bodied white is certainly worth every inexpensive penny.

Paired with some fish, this Spanish white did a great job of adding acid to the meal without being overpowering.  The light, crisp flavors were refreshing and were great during and after the meal.  As I’m always on the look-out for a table wine, this one has certainly made it onto the list.  If you’re a fan of rioja, give this one a try.  If you’ve never tried rioja before and are looking for an alternative to chardonnay and pinot grigio for seafood, definitely give this wine a try.

Varietal:  White Table Wine
Region:  Virginia – USA
Cost:  $10.95 – $12

Floral bouquets lead into a very light, and refreshing wine that pairs well with chicken, seafood, spicy faire, or as an apertif.

Recommendations:  My wife and I enjoyed this wine with a spicey shrimp dish, and the lightness and slight sweet finish did a great job of cutting the heat of the shrimp.  If you’re looking for a robust white wine, this isn’t going to be the one for you, but if you’re looking for something that is light, works well with spicey food, chicken, and seafood, AND as a deck wine on a hot day, then you really should pick up more than one bottle of this Virginia White.