Perfect Summer Pairings
When the weather gets warmer, the food tends to get lighter. The availability of local, fresh vegetables beckons and the barbeque down-right hollers. It’s summer and the pairings of food and beverages are surprisingly easy.

Red Ripe Tomatoes
They’re plentiful and juicy; however tomatoes are actually notoriously difficult to pair with wine.

While many think of a red wine as the best pairing choice – because that’s what we naturally see when we picture that classic tomato-based pasta dinner -- whites and lighter wines are usually better with uncooked tomatoes.  

Try a Chardonnay or a Sauvignon Blanc with midsummer classic caprese salad; that unmistakable combination of sliced tomatoes with basil, fresh mozzarella and extra virgin olive oil. You might also try a dry Rosé as an alternative to a white.
 
Fresh Corn
Fresh corn, whether served on the cob with butter or quickly cooked and pureed into a creamy soup, is one of summer's greatest pleasures. But corn tends to have a one-note sweetness and richness that limits its wine-pairing options.

The best choices are something that highlights the sweetness and fat -- such as a buttery Chardonnay. You can also try going with a complete contrast, such as a crisp Sauvignon Blanc, especially a Pouilly Fumé or Sancerre.

Crisp Salads
Salads can also be somewhat difficult to pair with wine due to the often acid nature of the vinaigrettes and dressings used. Whites are usually preferred as pairings with the season's brightly flavored, herbaceous, juicy and sometimes highly acidic vegetables.

The nice thing about chicken salad is that you can add your own touches including vegetables, fruits, nuts, and a wide variety of seasonings. Many folk simply add sliced chicken to other salads such as spinach, Caesar or mixed green salads.

To pair with chicken salad, choose a Chenin Blanc or a Riesling. You might also try a Pinot Blanc.

A crisp Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio is best with the classic salad niçoise.  This is a French salad featuring tomatoes, anchovies, garlic and black olives, and usually green beans, tuna, new potatoes and hard-boiled eggs. There is sometimes also marinated artichoke hearts and purple-black olives. The dressing is an olive oil-base. Here too you might try a dry Rosé.

Fish
If your summer craving involves whipping up some steamed veggies and lemon sautéed fish, you can’t go wrong with your favorite, light Riesling.

Sauvignon Blanc is lighter in body, crisp tasting, with flavors of fresh herbs, green grass, and citrus. Try this wine with fresh, simply prepared or cold seafood. Shrimp, oysters, clams, mussels, and light fishes such as mahi-mahi with a simple wine sauce and fresh herbs would all be delicious with Sauvignon Blanc.

Another favorite pairing is barbecued salmon with Pinot Noir.

Mussels and Clams
A favourite for beach parties and cookouts, mussels pair well with a Chardonnay or a Muscadet. You can also consider a Chenin Blanc or a Pinot Blanc. Mussels can be prepared in a variety of ways including, smoked, boiled, or batter fried, but one of the most popular is steamed using white wine, onions and garlic.