Region: Rueda, Spain

Price: $13.99 at Total Wine

Sight: pale daffodil yellow

Smell: lemon drop, pineapple, piña colada, flowers

Taste: pineapple, wet rock, green and white Smarties, flowers, mango, medium-bodied

Overall:  What a success.  Out of 8,000 different wines in the store where I work, this is consistently one of my top go-to recommendations for a winning bottle of white wine.  Verdejo is a grape out of Spain—a lesser-known, cheerful, spring-and-summer white; one that could play the adorable little sister to the opulent, languid whites of the French Rhône.  Citrusy and tropical, but not so zesty as a Sauvignon Blanc, Verdejo tends to be a little fuller, slightly rounded, with only a hum of minerality.

Arindo smells like a vase of summer florals, candied lemon, and piña colada.  On the palate, a wave of pineapple rolls through, steeped with daisies and lime candy.  Stony minerality adds some shading and lends to a clean finish, which is basically a sun-kissed meadow of wildflowers, a hint of tart candy, and a touch of mango.  The most incredible thing about this wine in its entirety is the balance.  There are no sharp edges or jarring soprano notes; in fact, I would describe this wine as an alto.  It sits in the same warm range as a cello.  Not too deep or heavy, but still somewhat low.

As an added bonus, the rich, deep-set tropical fruits combined with the just-enough acidity of a mere suggestion of citrus actually make this wine a great partner to some surprising foods.  Foods like bacon burgers, pizza, or pastas in red sauce that you might associate with red wine may actually be a spectacular companion for your Verdejo.  Again I say, do not underestimate the white wine.  Try it for yourself!

Price: $7.99 at Total Wine

Region: Stellenbosch, South Africa

Sight: greenish yellow

Smell: honey, floral, lime

Taste: dry, green apple, pear, lime juice

Overall: I think this Chenin Blanc has some identity issues—he wants so desperately to be a Sauvignon Blanc.  This is on the very dry end of the Chenin Blanc spectrum, with enough razor-sharp citrus to make your cheeks pucker.  It’s a little more full-bodied than most Sauvignon Blancs I’ve had though, leading the fruit to have a “bigger” presence.  The nose has a tight, honeyed lime component with a pleasant white flower accent, while the palate introduces some tree fruit flavors and a definitive dryness.  It finishes very floral, like jasmine.  Excellent seafood companion or summer sipper.  Over-delivers at the price point, as well!

Region: California

Price: $8.99 at Total Wine

Sight: pale yellow

Smell: vibrant tangerine, Anjou pear

Taste: pineapple, tropical fruit, citrus, oily, full-bodied, dry

Overall:  This wine is deceptively big.  From the nose, I’m expecting an acidic, soprano, light-bodied little thing, but the actual taste of it is unexpectedly hefty and full.  There’s not a whole lot of crisping minerality going on—instead there’s this voluptuous amalgamation of citrus and tropical fruits that completely saturates the palate.  And miraculously, in spite of all that fruit, the wine still finishes dry.  Something about how this tastes makes me feel like I’m getting something for free—I’m experiencing a myriad of fruit flavor, but none of the sugar that usually comes with it.  It’s like eating dessert for days and not gaining any weight.  Pineapple, guava, hints of banana, tangerine, pear… and a nice, dry finish.  What more could you ask for?

Region: Muscadet, Loire, France

Varietal: Melon de Bourgogne

Price: $7.99 at Total Wine

Sight: pale yellow

Smell: lemon, jasmine, gravel

Taste: lemon, orange zest, floral, mineral, crisp

Overall:  I paired this wine with spicy cajun fish in a dill cream sauce, cooked asparagus, and my beautiful friend Nicole.  She had found a recipe on Pinterest and when we decided we were going to get together and cook it, I remembered this wine.  It’s a new Muscadet that we got in about a month or so ago at work, and aside from being one of my Top Favorite White Wines of All Time, Muscadet is a classic pairing for fish.  I was optimistic about the fruitiness of this wine working with the spicy seasonings, and was not disappointed.  We baked the fish with lemon slices on top—and this wine was like an extra squeeze of lemon.  On the nose, there’s this gravelly minerality that keeps the aromas very clean; think about a clean slate stone drenched in a citrusy, flowery perfume.  Upon the first sip, that minerality turns racy and sharpens the flavors directly towards the center of the palate.  As they land, I taste more lemony goodness, a bit of orange peel, and white flowers.  The acidity is nice and bright and provides a fresh finish.  This is a straightforward, simple wine that might just be what you’re looking for this summer.  Thinking about Pinot Grigio?  Think again—Muscadet is your avenue.  You’ll get a better wine at (probably) a lower price.  Befriend Muscadet this summer—you’ll be glad you did.

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