Top Summer Wines

9 wonderful wines — white, rosé and red — to sip or gift this summer

As we transition into summer, when backyard barbecues and pool parties reach their pinnacle, it’s always nice to have a good selection of wine on hand either to serve guests or to offer as hostess gifts.

But when you’re staring down the aisles of your neighborhood wine merchant, it can be easy to glaze over at the many options available. How do you know which wine to choose? What styles represent the best for summer? Never fear: We’ve got just the wines you’re looking for.

WHITE

Whether crisp and dry or slightly sweet, a nice, cold white wine can cool off any long day at the office. If you like a more standard varietals such as Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc, experiment with something out of the norm. Or try a dry Alsatian Riesling, fragrant and fruity white Rhone, or zippy Austrian Grüner Veltliner.

2012 Simonnet Febvre Saint Bris Sauvignon Blanc
Whole Foods, $12
Though it’s odd to find a Sauvignon Blanc coming out of the Burgundy region, this is a crisp, refreshing wine with a medium body and fresh floral, citrus and green notes. It pairs well with Caprese salad, grilled fish and picnic fare.

2012 Ipsum Verdejo
Spec’s, approximately $12
A Spanish gem from the Rueda region, the Verdejo grape is both aromatic and herbaceous, which makes it a good substitute for Sauvignon Blanc. This particular wine has beautiful notes of lemon and lime zest, white flowers, and summer herbs, with a hint of salinity on the palate. A great wine for summer salads, grilled shrimp or scallops.

2012 Jordan Chardonnay
Spec’s or Whole Foods, approximately $30
For those who just can’t do without Chardonnay, this is a must-try wine. Fuji apple and fresh, ripe pear mingle with bright citrus tones and a touch of vanilla for a Chardonnay that comes as close to white Burgundy as you’ll likely ever find from the U.S. Try this with poached or cured salmon or a midday brunch quiche.

ROSÉ

White wine is fine, but rosé is better. These days, pink is the way to go. Don’t believe us? Then check out John Bonné’s recent article in the San Francisco Chronicle, “Is pink the new white?” Rosé has all the zesty acidity and refreshing verve as white wine, with the added fruitiness and depth of red wine. With our climate, it’s something we can enjoy all year in Texas.

2013 Miraval Cote de Provence
Whole Foods, approximately $24
This wine is the first release from Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, but don’t knock it ’til you try it. A combined venture with the Jolie-Pitts and the famed Perrin family, this wine has become a fast favorite for the summer. With bright acidity and a balance of strawberry, grapefruit and cherry blossom, try it with grilled seafood or a cheese and charcuterie plate.

Mulderbosch Cabernet Sauvignon Rosé
Total Wine & More, approximately $11
Specifically grown for rosé production, this wine is the perfect “bridge” wine for red wine drinkers who need something a little lighter in the hot summer months. Black cherry, black currant and a touch of watermelon make this an excellent picnic wine. Serve with charcuterie, seared tuna or a juicy grilled burger.

Lucien Albrecht Crémant d'Alsace Brut Rosé
Spec’s, approximately $22
Nothing brightens up rosé like bubbles. And the secret to avoiding an expensive Champagne purchase is to head east of the region to Alsace, where sparkling Crémant d’Alsace is some of the best sparkling wine for the price. You can’t beat this Lucien Albrecht, with flavors of strawberry and wild cherry along with a pleasing creamy texture and long finish.

RED

Just because it’s hot outside, doesn’t mean red wine completely loses its place at the table. Typically, it’s better to serve lighter styles of Pinot Noir, Gamay (Beaujoulais), and Zwiegelt. But you can get away with any red as long as you treat it right.

Although it’s said that you should serve red wine at room temperature, this is usually for places around the world where room temperature is somewhere around 65 degrees — which is not Texas. When wine is served in a too-warm climate, all you end up tasting is alcohol, not the nuances of fruit, earth and spice.

The key to good summer red wine is chilling it. If you give it a good 15-20 minutes to cool down before serving, you should be in good shape. Refrigerate it longer if you are planning to serve it outside.

Cain ‘Cain Cuvee’ NV10
Spec’s, approximately $34
From a special Spring Mountain winery in the Napa Valley region, this is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot that is surprisingly light and refreshing in style. It pairs beautifully with seared tuna and grilled meats.

2012 CrossBarn Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
Spec’s, approximately $35
From the skillful hands of famed winemaker Paul Hobbs, this CrossBarn Pinot Noir is a more value-driven second label that carries through in quality and overall structure from his namesake brand. A perfect summer Pinot, this wine has cherry-raspberry fruitiness with restrained character and balance that would a nice complement to grilled pork loin.

2010 Sequoia Grove Cabernet Sauvignon
Spec’s, approximately $39
Even in summertime, there’s always someone who just has to have a big Cab. This is one that won’t compete too heavily with the summer heat, and it has smoky chocolate and dark fruit characteristics that make for a perfect grilled steak pairing.

Lucien Albrecht Crémant d'Alsace brut rose is a beautiful summer sipper.

Courtesy of Lucien Albrecht

Lucien Albrecht Crémant d'Alsace brut rose is a beautiful summer sipper.

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Spring Arrival

West Dallas gets new Spanish-Peruvian restaurant with big-name chef

Photo courtesy of Ulloa's

Paella will be on the menu.

A new restaurant with a high-profile culinary director will bring Spanish and Peruvian flavors to West Dallas: Called Ulloa’s, it is coming to 727 Fort Worth Ave., with a projected opening in March 2027.

The concept is from philanthropists Susan and Woodrow Gandy, who were previously investors in the historic Belmont Hotel just around the corner. They've teamed up with Dallas celebrity chef Kent Rathbun as culinary director, along with Christopher Tunnell as general manager to lead the front of the house.

Rathbun is a name Dallas diners know well, with a resume that includes The Mansion on Turtle Creek, the Landmark Restaurant at the historic Melrose Hotel, Seventeen Seventeen at the Dallas Museum of Art, Abacus, Jasper's, Rathbun’s Blue Plate Kitchen, and more. He's won numerous awards and made multiple appearances on Food Network. He was most recently behind the launch of On The Rocks, an Italian bistro in Burleson.

Chef Kent Rathbun will be the culinary director of Ulloa's. Photo courtesy of Kent Rathbun

Tunnell’s background spans both culinary direction and front-of-house operations. He worked at Los Angeles hot spots Ketchup, Geisha House, and Les Deux, as well as the Mandalay Bay and The Mirage in Las Vegas, before moving to Dallas to open The Mexican, the upscale restaurant in the Design District.

“I am truly excited to partner with Chef Kent Rathbun, whose reputation is amazing — not only in the DFW Metroplex, but in the culinary world,” Tunnell says. “He has been with this project since the beginning, helping develop it; this will be a very chef-driven, culinary-forward restaurant.”

The team's vision for Ulloa’s is both culinary and urban, with hopes of anchoring the corridor and attracting other businesses to Fort Worth Avenue — a stretch connecting downtown Dallas with Oak Cliff that remains somewhat underdeveloped despite its panoramic skyline views.

The restaurant is named for Spanish explorer, astronomer, and scientist Antonio de Ulloa, who spent extensive time in the Mexican peninsula before becoming Louisiana’s first governor. During his travels, Ulloa documented a fogbow — a circular rainbow formed when sunlight meets mist that causes silhouettes standing between the sun and fog to appear ringed in light, a phenomenon known today as “Ulloa’s Rings.”

That vibrant phenomenon inspired both the restaurant's identity and logo. The concept promises "bold, worldly flavors in a welcoming neighborhood setting inspired by exploration and discovery,” the owners say.

Ulloa's Rendering of Ulloa's.Rendering courtesy of Ulloa's

While the menu remains in development, Tunnell describes the culinary direction as “Spanish soul with a Peruvian heart.” The kitchen will merge the coastal flavors of both traditions — ranging from paellas and ceviches to crafted cocktails and signature adaptations by Rathbun.

The 200-seat, two-story space will feature a downstairs dining room, a large bar, and an outdoor patio. Upstairs, plans call for a secondary bar, a private dining room, a patio, and an expansive balcony patio, offering views of the city's skyline and of the Margaret Hunt Hill and Margaret McDermott bridges.

While the upstairs space will be available for private events, the owners intend for it to operate primarily as an organic extension of the main restaurant. The buildout will include a guest elevator along with ample parking, including both self-parking and valet options.

The team says the restaurant will have have an aesthetic that's “warm, theatrical, generous, elegant but alive, with the energy of a great Spanish tapas bar and the soul of Peruvian hospitality.”

Ulloa’s plans to launch with dinner service first, followed by lunch and weekend brunch.

restaurants bars peruvian flavors west dallas oak cliff kent rathbun