Summer Wines that Protect Your Skin

My favourite wine news of the week comes from The Body Odd on msnbc.com. It seems researchers at the University of Barcelona have some good news for sun-worshipping wine drinkers thanks to a compound found in grapes or grape derivatives that "may protect skin cells from skin-damaging ultraviolet radiation."

According to Marta Cascante, a biochemist at the University of Barcelona and director of the research project, the flavonoids found in grapes work to halt the chemical reaction that kills skin cells and causes sun damage. Cascante notes that "this finding may lead to better sun-shielding drugs and cosmetics."

While wine is fighting harmful UV rays, beer makers are busy selling lime-flavoured barley sandwiches for summer. Now I was never a big beer consumer, but it seems to me a piece of real citrus would get the job done with more style and it's likely healthier than whatever is added to beer to give it a lemon or lime taste. But, hey, it's summer and people - especially Vancouverites - do weird things when they see the sun. I do find it interesting that the beer folks are looking for a fresher taste profile, likely to try to stem the rush to refreshing wine that has beer sales trending flat while wine consumption continues to grow.

On the other side of the continent, the New York Times wine columnist Eric Asimov suggests that box wine is making a comeback because "discerning American wine drinkers are slowly getting used to the idea of drinking wine from a box."

Discerning may be stretching it, but Asimov points to the "rising popularity of kegged wines, which more and more restaurants are using to serve wines by the glass," suggesting their acceptance is changing the way Americans think about alternative wine packaging.

In fact, I would argue screw caps, more than any other device, have given consumers the confidence to consider kegged wines or boxed wines because they have allowed wine drinkers to focus on what's important: the juice inside the container. Box, bottle, bag or keg, if it protects the original flavours of the wine and delivers them untainted to the customer, the way the winemaker intended, isn't that all we can hope for?

After a week of sunshine across the Lower Mainland, I say we leave the discussion at that. The rain will be here soon enough and heavy, cork finished red wines will make their comeback. For now, let us celebrate the sun with a refreshing glass of wine and some SPF 30; it seems both could be good for our skin.

The style of Santa Rita Sauvignon is all but locked down nowadays, with its intense lime rind and gooseberry and cassis leaf aromas and flavours, but for an even more intense experience, jump up from the entry level 120 sauvignon to the Santa Rita Sauvignon Blanc Reserva 2010. Its Casablanca fruit shouts cool, clean and crisp with a citrus, lime rind, gooseberry undercurrent that persists through the finish. Serve this with grilled prawns or the Greek specialty saganaki.

Equally refreshing despite its cork closure is the Fazi Battaglia Titulus Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico 2009 from Marche, Italy. Look for a nutty, green apple skin bouquet with bits of dried herbs for highlights. The body is round and supple, but with enough acidity and herbal, gooseberry, green apple, citrus flavours to clean your palate after each bite. Grilled fish or simply prepared clams would be a perfect match. Good value.

Summer was made for vinho verde, the electric wine of Northern Portugal. Offering just the essence of the fruit with light chalky, melon, lime rind and citrus aromas, the Quinta da Aveleda Vinho Verde 2010 screams summer. The attack is similarly fresh and crisp with juicy mineral, green apple, green melon flavours with a citrus water finish. A summer sipper for light fare. Bring on the heat. Sold only at Everything Wine, North Vancouver, Morgan Creek and Langford, Vancouver Island.

Touraine means fresh and value-packed most years and the Domaine du Clos du Bourg Sauvignon 2010 is no exception. Gooseberry, grapefruit, passion fruit, light bell pepper and jalapeno aromas each mark its nose while its crisp, dry, fresh palate offers slightly smoky, grassy, grapefruit, passion fruit and lemon flavours. A more austere style but perfect for summer seafood like grilled squid.

If you are a fan of the Three Winds Shiraz you are going to enjoy the Three Winds Viognier Vin de Pays d'Oc 2010. From its floral, honey, green pineapple nose to its round, fresh, somewhat sweet palate with honey, citrus, baked pear, ginger, baked apple flavours, it is a crowd pleaser. A simple, fresh, attractive friendly white that is good value.

If you can't live without red wine and the barbecue is cranking out grilled meats and chicken, reach for the Lujuria 2008 from Yecla, Spain. You will love its spicy, savoury, plum and cherry aromas and fresh, juicy palate. Look for more black cherry, plums, tobacco and peppery, savoury, licorice flavours throughout the palate. Fine fruit and intensity for the price. Stock up.

Santa Rita Sauvignon Blanc Reserva 2010, Valle de Casablanca, Region de Aconcagua, Chile

Price: $15

UPC: 7804330221202

Score: 88/100

Remarks: Crisp with a citrus, lime rind gooseberry undercurrent through the finish.

Fazi Battaglia Titulus Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico 2009, Marche, Italy

Price: $15

UPC: 00632741102011

Score: 87/100

Remarks: Grilled fish or simply prepared clams would be a perfect match.

Quinta da Aveleda Vinho Verde 2010, Northern Portugal

Price: $14, Everything Wine only

UPC: 5601096227309

Score: 87/100

Remarks: Juicy mineral, green apple, green melon flavours.

Domaine du Clos du Bourg Sauvignon Touraine 2010, Touraine, Loire, France

Price: $16

UPC: 03481730001005

Score: 88/100

Remarks: An austere style of white that is made for grilled squid or fresh oysters.

Three Winds Viognier Vin de Pays d'Oc 2010, Languedoc, France

Price: $14

UPC: 3760143270629

Score: 87/100

Remarks: Simple, fresh, attractive style that is ready to drink.

Lujuria 2008, Yecla, Valencia and Murcia, Spain

Price: $10

UPC: 8422445001178

Score: 86/100

Remarks: Black cherry, plum, cedar, tobacco, savoury, licorice flavours. Great value