Don’t Forget the Bubbles
But which wine should one start with at the concert? With Champagne, of course! (Does he recommend Champagne in every article? Indeed.) If you’re on a budget, a domestically produced sparkling wine from, of all places, New Mexico called Gruet is my favorite—about $20. (It’s made the traditional way by a French winemaking family.) Also, “J” sparkling wine or Iron Horse (both from Russian River Valley in Sonoma County) are fantastic for around $20.

If you can spend another $15 or so, I highly recommend any of the grower Champagnes. They run much higher in price for the fancy ones, but for $35 or so the “NV” or non-vintage “brut” or drier white bubbly makes a much better drink than the big names at the same price. Why? These growers produce smaller batches, by hand, and from their own vineyards (rather than from purchased grapes).

Grower champagnes of note most often include Egly-Ouriet, Fleury, L. Aubry, Pierre Peters, Vilmart & Cie and Henri Billiot—but don’t be afraid to ask your local wine merchant for guidance; he or she will know which one is right for your palate and budget. Not that you can’t bring the expensive stuff to a fancy party; I was just at a very nice beach-house affair where only the finest Champagnes from the most well-known houses were served with a spectacular Louisiana crawfish etouffe—a match made in heaven. And the great part about Champagne? No corkpuller required.

While writing about sparklers, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention my favorite two types of bubbly that seem to go almost forgotten except at the coolest of wiseguy-type bashes on the Jersey shore: Prosecco and Brachetto d’Acqui. Both are only slighty bubbly (they do require corkpullers), have lower alcohol, are slightly sweet, and are typically downed in buckets. (Heavens, you just can’t help yourself on a warm afternoon on the shore.) Prosecco is white, and is the name of the grape, which is predominantly from the Veneto region of Italy. Brachetto is named for both the grape (brachetto) and the region (Acqui) and is a red sparkler, served slighty to very chilled. It goes great with fireworks.

Best of all, neither of these is a budget-breaker: Rosa Regale Brachetto can be found just about everywhere for around $15–20, while Zardetto Prosecco can be found pretty much anywhere for $10–$15. Both are considered top-notch. Talk about your deals!

Keep it Simple—Remember, it’s Summer
Two of my favorite all-purpose summer white wines are: 1) Any from Spain or Portugal, and 2) Any from the Rhone Valley of France. They are markedly different, making them a perfect pair to grab on the way. They’re ideal with almost anything one eats, reasonable in price, on the whole balanced and well-made and shockingly delicious.

From Spain and Portugal, Albariño (the type of grape, from Spain) and wines from Vinho Verde (a huge region in Portugal between the River Douro and the Spanish border to the north, and extending inland nearly 60 miles) nearly always offer cheap prices, great-looking packages, and naturally made, fantastically balanced heartburn-and-headache-free easy drinking. The top of the line (and always easy to find) is the Burgans Albariño for about $10. You might also want to grab a smart little red from the Jumilla region of Spain. It’s made from the same red grape they use in the Rhone Valley (mouvedre—called monastell in Spain), and is quite jaunty when chilled on a hot day.

For Vinho Verde, try Broadbent at $8 or so. This, seriously, is about the most you’ll spend on one of these babies; they start around $4. You pretty much can’t go wrong, here, but if you’re not in too much of a hurry, it’s always best to inquire with your wine merchant and buy the latest vintage. These aren’t getting any fresher, folks.

On the French side, what you’re actually buying is some mystery blend of Viognier, Roussanne and Marsanne (the grapes), but you won’t see this information on the label. You’re looking for dark-green bottles with soft shoulders and words like “Rhone” (as in “Cotes du Rhone Blanc” —a white Rhone from the side of the valley) or even “Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc.” In either case, it should say “White Rhone Wine” on the back label somewhere. Again, your local merchant should be able to help.

These wines sell in the $15–20 range and go up from there, but are worth every penny. They are beautifully balanced, complex, medium-bodied, moderately fruity and not overly oaked. Who wants a mouthful of barrel juice—as in a California-style Chardonnay—on a baking hot day?

A word of caution: there are many Rhone blends made in California that are decidedly not in the old-world style, so be aware of the differences. You may get one that is tutti-fruity with Viognier’s signature peach aromas, or you may get a mouthful of new oak barrel fermentation wood flavors. Not to say you wouldn’t love it, but at least with the French stuff, there’s some consistency.

There’s Nothing Wrong with Pink and/or Sweet Wine, For Crying Out Loud
I’ve been making wine since I was 15 and I will not be bullied by snobs who want to pretend that they don’t like sweet wines (when they crave Chateau d’Yquem) and that they don’t drink slightly sweet pink wines (although they will never turn down Roederer Crystal on a bet). It’s not like you have to swill cheap fake chemical wine out of a $5 mondo-mega-box directly from the tap. Beuhler, Shenandoah and De Loach (not associated with this author) all produce world-class “White Zinfandel” wines that are balanced, concentrated and even sustainably and biodynamically grown. Look for them in the $6 to $10 range.

Still can’t stand the thought you’re somehow choking down your grandma’s inferior wine? Really, a little therapy might be in order. But in the meantime, try some Zinfandel Rosé or some Pinot Rosé. This will be, ahem, in the pink section next to the “WZ” stuff you hate. Look for Toad Hollow Pinot Noir Rosé ($10), Etude Rosé of Pinot Noir ($20), Pedroncelli Zinfandel Rosé ($10) and St. Supery Zinfandel Rosé ($13).

Finally, you can’t have summer without sangria. Check out this classic recipe from my friend Enrique Jaramillo at Willi’s Seafood in Healdsburg, California . And don’t forget the ice.