Prices marked are the regular retail, followed by the Feature Price with a 20% discount.

Schuman-Nägler Cuvée Rheingau Riesling (Rheingau, Germany) Regular $22.00/ Feature Price $17.60

The heritage of the Schumann family is remarkable. The town records in Geisenheim list the Schumanns as wine makers and grape growers as far back as 1356, with a permanent winery first being built in 1438. Though the physical premises have moved from time to time, the chain of winemaking has been passed from father to son for over 550 years. Fred Schumann, the current owner and cellar master, represents the 24th generation! The Schumann Estate includes nearly 50 acres around the villages of Geisenheim, Rudesheim, Johannisberg, Hattenheim and Winkel, where soil and climate produce the perfect growing conditions for the Riesling grape. This is where wild Riesling vines were first discovered and where Riesling thrives today with tremendous fruit and natural acidity. The Schumann family surely didn't have our hot, humid climate in mind when they made this sparkling Riesling. But it pours like a charm to accompany a backyard picnic…not too formal, not too casual, but just right.

Broadbent Sunflower Vinho Verde 2007 (Braga, Portugal) Regular $9.95/ Feature Price $7.96

From the Sunflower painting on the label to the tiny bubbles in the glass, this easy-drinking wine is a great summertime thirst quencher. Vinho Verde is a Portuguese wine from the Minho region in the far north of the country. The name literally means "Green Wine", referring to its youthful freshness rather than its color. It's only 9% alcohol, so it makes a fine drink when you get home from work or come inside from the yard. Chill it ice cold and serve it with a slice of lemon or lime. Aaah!

Four Sisters Sauvignon Blanc (Australia) Regular $11.60/ Feature Price $9.28

Four Sisters winemaker Trevor Mast learned his trade in Geisenheim, Germany, the home of the Schumann-Nägler Riesling. He has adapted his skills to grapes grown in the cooler regions of Australia. Here he has added a bit of Semillon to the Sauvignon Blanc to bring out the refreshing notes of tropical fruits, while retaining just a bit of the grassiness for which southern hemisphere Sauvignon Blanc is famous. This wine is perfect with salads or chilled seafood dishes.

Peirano "The Other" White (Lodi, California) Regular $14.35/ Feature Price $11.38

The Other red was so popular when we Featured it a couple of months ago, that I wanted to be sure to introduce you to its summertime sibling. This luscious white is a blend of This (70% Chardonnay), That (20% Sauvignon Blanc), and The Other (10% Viognier). It's good with summer foods, as well as being one of those "just because" summertime treats.

Le Vigneau Domaine de Guérande Muscadet Sèvre et Maine 2007 (Loire Valley, France) Regular $14.40/ Feature Price $11.52

That's a name as long as a German wine, and like most European wine names it can be broken down into its constituent parts. "Le Vigneau" is the name of the producer (and means "winkle" in French, "an edible marine gastropod"…a clue to its food partners). Domaine de Guérande is the estate where the grapes were grown and the wine was bottled. And "Muscadet (MOOSE-cuh-day) Sèvre et Maine" is the Appellation Contrôlée that tells you that the grape is Muscadet and it's from the region between the Sèvre and Maine rivers, southeast of the city of Nantes. A quick look at your map will show you that this is the estuary where the long Loire River empties into the Atlantic Ocean. And that, my friends, is seafood country. This wine is known worldwide as a classic accompaniment to oysters and other shellfish. You shouldn't pass another summer in Beaufort County, North Carolina without knowing about this wine and amazing all your friends.

Skouras Zoë Rosé (Peloponnese, Greece) Regular $14.95/ Feature Price $11.96

This is a new rosé from Jim Stock, The Haw River Wine Man. Jim's family is originally from Greece, and he's always glad to turn us on to a new treat from the old country. Made by Domaine Skouras, the producer that also makes the wonderful Moscofilero, Zoë (which means "life" in Greek) is made from the Aghiorghitiko (St. George) grape. This is a very dry rosé for those who like a little tannin with their meat…but like it chilled.

Mulderbosch Rosé (Stellenbosch, South Africa) Regular $16.50/ Feature Price $13.20

South Africa is making a name in the wine world for its rich Cabernet Sauvignon wines. Here that grape is blended with just a little Cab Franc to yield a serious wine that is still light and refreshing. Indeed, this is the lightest rosé we carry, meaning the wine spent very little time with the dark colored grape skins when it was fermenting. Try drinking a glass of this wine while you're grilling, then switch to a red Cab at the table.

Bodegas Borsao Viña Borgia Red (Camp de Borja, Spain) Regular $8.50/ No Feature Price

Talk about bargains! I ordered a new supply of this one for our Feature just to make sure the price hadn't gone up like everything else. Nope. Still $8.50 a bottle from the makers of the stellar Tres Picos Garnacha that wins awards every year and sells for around $20. I've said it before…I love Garnacha (the grape that originated in Spain and was appropriated by the French, who call it Grenache). It's soft and grape-y and very easy to drink. This one can be poured into your old assortment of glasses while you discuss the Spanish sense of the tragedy of life…or chill it a bit and drink a few glasses with a friend late on the night of August 12, as you watch the Perseid meteor shower and think about your place in the cosmos. That's a lot of substance from a cheap wine!

Salmon Run Petit Noir (Finger Lakes, New York) Regular $11.50/ Feature Price $9.20

This one, from the winery founded by Dr. Konstantin Frank, is another of my favorite summer reds. It's mostly Pinot Noir, with some other grapes added to the proprietary mix. It's light and approachable because it was made in stainless steel to keep the fruitiness of the grapes. It's like summer berries with a note of deep shade. I like this one with barbecue sauce.

Lucignano Chianti Colli Fiorentini (Florence, Italy) Regular $16.50/ Feature Price $13.20

Lucignano's vineyard surrounds the medieval town of Lucignano, located only a mile outside the western border of the Chianti Classico zone, hence the designation Chianti Colli Fiorentini, Chianti from the area around Florence. The wine is made from 80% Sangiovese with the addition of 10% Canaiolo Nero and 10% of other local varietals depending of the vintage. It's lighter in body than the big Chianti Classicos we like to serve with wintertime pasta and Italian sausage. This one goes with our summertime fare, or when you just want a nice glass of red wine on a warm evening.

Crios Cabernet Sauvignon (Mendoza, Argentina) Regular $16/ Feature Price $12.80

Susanna Balbo's Crios line of wines are named for her "offspring" and depict on the label the handprints of mother and two children. Susanna was one of the first woman winemakers in Argentina, and she has made quite a reputation for her thoughtfully made well-balanced wines. This is the perfect Cab for summer, not too heavy and with plenty of rich fruit complemented with 13 months of oak aging. Served it with something off the grill.

Tasting Opportunities…

Wine & Words/Back Bay Cafe in Belhaven, NC:
Available by-the-glass every Friday and Saturday night, 5:30-9:00.

Wine Tastings – Friday August 8 & Friday August 22 from 5:30-8:30.  Please make reservations if you're joining us for dinner – 252.944.2870.

Washington Wine & Gourmet in Washington, NC:
Mary will be serving up samples (along with her selection of accompanying goodies) every Friday from 4-6 and all day Saturday.