Refreshing Pours

It says something about wine — and not something flattering, either — that one of the most praiseworthy words is “serious.” In order to get respect (or at least a high price), solemnity is required. You never hear about a Barolo compared to, say, a Toots Thielemans harmonica solo. Happily, though, this rule is tossed aside with the arrival of summer.Now, the watchword is “refreshing.” Like Mr. Thielemans’s mastery of the chromatic harmonica, a refreshing wine can also be — dare I say it? — seriously good.Consider the following wines a kind of crib sheet for this summer’s drinking. These are time-tested recommendations, sampled under the most grueling testing conditions of sunscreen, hammocks, and deep shade.Here’s the (Seriously Refreshing) DealBubblesCerdon du Bugey nonvintage, Domaine Renardat-Fâche — This is the most refreshing wine you’ll drink this summer. I’m not kidding.What you need to know is that Cerdon du Bugey is a sparkling wine. And it’s red — well, a pale pink. And it’s lightly sweet. All of those characteristics typically translate to “frivolous.” But this is, ahem, serious stuff.Cerdon du Bugey is an artisanal wine grown in the mountains between Lyon and Geneva on the French side of the border. The appellation has just 420 acres of vines to its (obscure) name. The grapes for this particular bottling are gamay and an indigenous variety of the Jura region called poulsard.Getting the bubbles in the bottle is equally distinctive. Winegrower Alain Renardat uses a technique called the méthode ancestrale — which is different from the more widely seen Champagne method, in which wine is fermented to dryness, and an additional batch of yeasts is added to create the bubbles. Here, the same yeasts that fermented the wine are also used to create the bubbles. This approach is thought to better preserve the grapey aromas that make this wine so come-hither.This is a low-alcohol (8%), richly flavorful bubbly redolent of strawberries and cherries. It is a summer sipper supreme, and pairs surprisingly well with chocolate, as well as all sorts of summer fruits. For once, an artisanal wine gets good distribution. Cerdon du Bugey from Domaine Renardat-Fâche is widely available for between $17 and $20 a bottle at PJ Wine, Tribeca Wine Merchants, Garnet Wines, Chambers Street Wines, Astor Wines, Crush Wine and Spirits, and elsewhere.Oh, and one more thing: You have to be extra careful when opening this bubbly. Because of its singular method of getting the bubbles in the bottle, the contents can sometimes be under unusually strong pressure. Consequently, the cork can come flying out as soon as you detach the wire cage holding down the cork. So first put a towel over the cork to capture it (and the frothing wine), and be sure to keep the bottle pointed away from you or anyone else.Moscato d’Asti 2007, Paolo Saracco — If there’s a summertime house wine chez Kramer, it’s the almost thrilling refreshment of Moscato d’Asti. A lightly frothy white wine, what the Italians call frizzante, Moscato d’Asti is very low in alcohol (about 5%), delightfully bracing in acidity, and deliciously fruity. Many good producers exist, but for this Moscato d’Asti lover, the hands-down leader is Paolo Saracco. And Mr. Saracco has never made a better version than the 2007 vintage. Having just arrived in town, it’s $13.95 at Sherry-Lehmann and $16.99 at 67 Wine & Spirits.RoséCôtes de Provence Rosé “Les Domaniers de Puits Mouret” 2007, Domaines Ott — In France’s Provence region, the Ott family creates some of Provence’s most expensive rosé with their estate-bottled version from Bandol. However, there’s a “secret” Ott rosé that’s very nearly as good at half the price. This rosé is made from purchased grapes and therefore sold under the designation “Ott Selection” rather than the estate name. It’s the real deal, in every sense, at $17.99 from Garnet Wines.Elk Cove Vineyards “Willamette Valley” Pinot Noir Rosé 2007 — Rosés made from pinot noir can be very fine, but good ones are rarer than you might imagine. One of the best comes from Oregon. This version from Elk Cove Vineyards is a benchmark bottling, with all of pinot noir’s berryish scents and tastes, but without the weighty intensity of a full-scale red. $16.99 at Astor Wines.Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Cerasuolo Rosé 2007, Torre dei Beati — Italian rosés are often called “cerasuolo,” a reference to the wine’s cherry scent and color. A standout bottling is the just-arrived 2007, which is brimming with impressive flavor, including a whiff of stoniness. It is the rosé to serve to people who say they don’t like rosés. $15.99 at Chambers Street Wines.WhiteItsas Mendi “Bizkaiko Txakolina” 2006 — Forget the tongue-twisting name and remember this: Itsas Mendi is a delectable dry white from Spain that will be the talk of the table when you serve it. Produced in the Basque region from the indigenous hondarrabi zuri grape (no, I’m not making this up), it delivers scent of orange blossom and lemon zest with an unusually dense texture buoyed by excellent acidity. $18.99 at Appellation Wine & Spirits and $19.95 at Morrell & Co.RedA refreshing red? Sure, why not? The trick is to find something that can be served cool (but not refrigerator-cold), that has few tannins so that it goes down without a catch and offers a fresh fruitiness and a bright acidity. Here’s the ticket:Cycles Gladiator “Central Coast” Merlot 2005/2006 — Forget about the repellent, merlot-dissing wine geek Miles Raymond in the movie “Sideways.” And forget also the “how good can this be?” low price. Cycles Gladiator “Central Coast” merlot is lovely wine, offering the bitter chocolate whiff of this variety with a fresh, rich fruitiness and superb, rejuvenating acidity. $8.99 a bottle at Premier Cru, among other merchants. The 2005 vintage is transitioning to the equally good 2006. You won’t go wrong with whichever vintage you find.

Refreshing Pours

Refreshing Pours

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