“Wine is earth’s answer to the sun,” a 19th-century transcendentalist, Margaret Fuller, wrote. That sounds just about right, especially in late August.

Although Fuller was pondering deep thoughts, those of us savoring the summer season know that wine is an ideal answer to the sun — or at least its heat. The wines that follow are ripostes, indeed. They should be served cool, and preferably in the shade.

HERE’S THE (SUNNY) DEAL

Pinot Bianco “Alto Adige” 2006, Alois Lageder — Italian white wines suffer the odd fate of being simultaneously popular and not taken seriously. A New Yorker magazine cartoon captured it perfectly in a scene where a man, sitting at a restaurant table looking at the wine list, says to his companion, “I want Chardonnay but I like saying ‘Pinot Grigio.'”

Chardonnay is serious. Pinot grigio is, well, joyful but unsubstantial. What, then, to make of what Italians call pinot bianco? Not only is it an Italian white, but it’s a variety that doesn’t even command much respect when cloaked in its French name, pinot blanc.

There’s no reason why pinot bianco/pinot blanc should be acclaimed as anything less than a terrific dry white wine. Italians, true to (white wine) form, prefer their pinot bianco as an Astaire-like dancing partner to fresh fish and summer salads, something savory yet light on its feet. French pinot blanc — mostly from Alsace — tends to be more a “statement wine,” emphasizing a chardonnay-like richness and thick texture. Both have their places.

Alois Lageder’s 2006 pinot bianco is a textbook-perfect example of the irresistible goodness of the Italian school. Grown in the Alto Adige region of northern Italy near the Austrian border, this is a dry white wine of lovely transparency.

This is an elegant, subtle yet flavor-rich pinot bianco proffering a mix of lemon zest, ripe nectarine, and a definite stony and mineral aftertaste with an ideal zip of acidity. It’s blessedly free of oak and, if a wine can be said to have ego, it’s free of that, too. It exists only to serve your thirst and your summer fare, preferably fish, shellfish, or cheeses. The price is superb: $11.99 at Garnet Wine and Zachys, among others.

Saumur Champigny 2006, Domaine des Roches Neuves — One of the chic reds in Paris wine bars and bistros hails from a Loire Valley district that was all but unknown until relatively recently: Saumur Champigny.

A sub-district of the famous Saumur zone (known for its sparkling wine made from chenin blanc), Saumur Champigny is exclusively red and specifically cabernet franc. But it’s not just any cabernet franc. The good versions — and this one is very good — are among the most elegant, refined, even delightful cabernet francs from anywhere in the world. The owner-winemaker of Domaine des Roches Neuves (“new rocks”) is Thierry Germain, who’s not a local. Germain hails from a Bordeaux wine family. Mr. Germain created Domaine des Roches Neuves in 1991, buying an existing estate that made less than ideal wines. Mr. Germain soon remedied that. His was a near-instant success (This success was not lost on the Germain père who, in 1996, bought all four of the Loire Valley estates of famed Parisian pastry chef and entrepreneur Gaston Lenôtre, who had assembled them in quick succession in the early 1990s when he was in his early 70s.)

This is an ideal summer red, to be served cool and in ample quantity alongside the likes of a good country-style pâte or moussaka redolent of lamb and eggplant.

Composed entirely of cabernet franc, it proffers an intense, deep cranberry hue. But it’s the elegant texture and taste that are seductive. Even the label has an understated elegance in a subtle, burnt-orange shade (think Hermès and you’ll be close).

Exceptionally supple, Saumur Champigny 2006 from Domaine des Roches Neuves slides down the gullet, delivering notes of blackberries, cocoa, and tobacco. This wine, too, is free of any oakiness, making it sans maquillage, as the French would say — without makeup. Other wines from this producer do see oak, but not this bottling.

This is a summer red supreme — at a good price, too: $14.49 at Garnet Wines, among other stores.