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I enjoy sitting on my balcony, writing about wine, and how people can enjoy it more. As I sit here, experiencing all the exhilaration summer has to offer, I wonder: what should I serve my friends this weekend? Lighter foods and longer evenings spent with friends call for crisp whites and light-bodied reds. Here’s my thought process on how I decide what to serve.

I should begin with a couple of bottles of dry Riesling, a versatile white wine that is refreshing and compatible with a large number of entrees, such as grilled pork chops and broiled scallops. Because I’m thinking of Rieslings that are on the dryer side, I’m most likely going to be looking for Alsacians. I will also add a couple of crisp Sauvignon Blanc bottles, either white Bordeaux (very dry and minerally), or California versions with good acidity but more fruitiness, and of course bottles from Malborough. Knowing that I like throwing my guests curve balls, and introducing them to new wines, I may add a selection of Pinot Gris from Oregon, Sonoma Valley or northeast France.

Now I’m thinking pink. Rose wines are perfect for summertime entertaining, either as a refreshing aperitif or with lighter dishes such as grilled chicken and salmon. I could do a bottle or two of Pinot Noir rose from California. I could also do a few light reds such as Valpolicella from Italy and a Rhone Valley red from southeastern France. Valpolicella would be great with antipasto and other light Italian foods, including pastas with red or white sauces (I’ll have to check with Laurie about the menu). If we have meatier dishes, I’ll go with a slightly heavier Rhone red, expressing the tart and palate-cleansing flavors of Grenache and Syrah grapes.

Finally, I’ll add sparkling wines from the United States, Spain and possibly Italy. A favorite warm-weather bubbly of mine is Prosecco from Italy with its light touch of sweetness. Now that I’m thinking about it, I might also select a Cava from Spain. A sparkling wine from California or France (no, not a Champagne) will also be good to have. I’ll just have to make sure that if we start with bubbly, we have enough left over for the end of the night as well. I was contemplating throwing in a port or sherry, but that would inevitably lead me to breaking out cigars, and I don’t think I have enough Cohiba’s to go around.

This weekend, I received my regular LinkedIn update and saw that Peter Harrison of Global Wine Company has launched the New York Times Wine Club. I probably asked myself the same question that a million other people asked: What does the NY Times have to do with wine?

In recent years, more and more wine clubs have been popping up in an effort to introduce consumers to new wines. The smarter clubs have been using name brand recognition, tapping into the notoriety of established household names. For example, the Wall Street Journal Wine Club, which launched last year, has no ties to the Journal. The club is run by a third party company (not unlike the new Times club) which simply tries to convince wine buyers that their wine is of good quality, in the hopes that wine buyers trust this statement because it seems to be coming from the Journal. All you need do is scroll to the bottom of their website to see WSJwine is operated independently of The Wall Street Journal’s news department.  Although a reader may enjoy the Journal’s wine articles, they have nothing to do with the club. Apparently, someone at the Times thought it was a good idea to begin competing with the Wall Street Journal Wine Club. And it is a good idea.

In this situation with the Times wine club, Global Wine Company has struck some kind of partnership with the Times, hoping that with enough ads, wine buyers will trust a wine club simply because it has the name “New York Times” in it. And maybe it will.  However, wine buyers can scroll to the bottom of the Times wine club page to read that while the Wine Club uses articles from the Times archives, the wines themselves are selected independently, and not by Times wine critics or other members of the news department.

But Global knows what they are doing when creating wine clubs built on the same principle, such as Napa Style Wine Club. Napa Style, led by celebrity chef Michael Chiarello, promotes a wine country lifestyle, from cooking to wines to entertaining and to home furnishings. The thought is that customers who enjoy the Napa Style brand should also enjoy a club with the same name.
Global also runs another club with a familiar name: Omaha Steak Wine Club. I would think this club pushes red wines that go well with steak. But I guess a wine club called “wine and steak wine club” just doesn’t have the panache as a club which includes a recognizable name.

So with the new Times club, we have just one more wine club with what appears to be quality marketers at the helm, betting that wine buyers will trust a familiar name. To some degree, I’m just as guilty by basing my club, South Beach Wine Club, on the famed South Beach Wine and Food Festival. However, not only have I based my club on something actually related to wine, but I also provide my own wine articles 5-6 days a week in the hopes that wine buyers trust my wine decisions. I try to earn peoples trust, and not pull a fast one on them. Call me old fashioned.

While vacationing with Laurie’s family in the Bahamas, seafood has been a staple on the dinner table. Grouper, salmon, lobster, and conch have all made regular appearances. On islands like these, where almost everything is imported, the wine prices are outrageous – especially for those bottles with recognizable producer names and varietals. One bottle that I have been recommending (with great success) is Viognier. “Exotic” seems to be the word everyone is using to describe this wine. And not for nothing, but it’s looking like this varietal is going to help the family branch out from their regular white: Chardonnay.

Ranging from pale straw to light golden, Viognier’s exotic profile starts with the heady aromatics – honeysuckle, apricot, orange, and spice. The perfumed aroma is not just a tease, as it leads into generous gobs of melon, apricot, and peach on the palate. With its big fruit and relatively low acidity, Viognier pleases most fans of big, buttery, tropical California Chardonnay. Not unlike Gewurztraminer, Viognier tends to be fleshy and viscous in body. And even though it’s shy in the acidity department, the strength of its fruit helps the flavors linger.

Viognier is native to France’s Rhone Valley, where it is the only grape grown in the tiny appellation of Condrieu. Examples from Condrieu tend to be extremely expensive. Fortunately, however, Viognier is an ancient grape enjoying a growing modern escape from obscurity, thanks to plantings in the South of France, California, and Australia. As new vineyards start to bear fruit, prices should drop and more bottlings will appear each vintage.

Viognier is not especially crisp, but still quite nice when paired with simple chicken dishes, pasta with a creamy sauce, heftier fish (like salmon and Chilean sea bass), lobster, and even pork and ham. For those who just like the wine’s generous fruit-basket of flavors and aromas, Viognier is a great sipping wine to enjoy simply by itself.

If you are interested in trying a bottle or two of Viognier, you should be able to find it at your local wine shop. You may even find that producers are blending it with other white wines – sometimes even red wine too! But before we get ahead of ourselves, allow me to suggest some producers you may be able to find in your area. These bottles show good characteristic of Viognier, but won’t break the bank:

• Bridgman Viognier Yakima Valley
• Sobon Estate Viognier Amador County
• Bonterra Vineyards Viognier Mendocino North Coast

When Cabernet Sauvignon is just be too big, Shiraz too peppery, and Pinot Noir too light, Merlot can be the perfect wine. Forget what Miles from Sideways says – Merlot can have the concentration of fruit, without having overbearing tannins, spice, or minerality.

Arguably the red wine of the early 1990s, Merlot came out of practically nowhere to become America’s favorite easy-drinking red from California. But then, wine drinkers began getting a taste for a wider range of red wine, leaving Merlot by the wayside. Thankfully, California Merlot producers haven’t stopped production of this supple varietal, and it has began making a comeback. Some believe simply that when Americans started turning to red wines for their heart-healthy implications, soft, plummy Merlot seemed to fit the bill. It doesn’t hurt that Merlot is as easy on the pocketbook as it is on the palate.

Ranging from lighter purple to a deep, dark, purplish red, New World Merlots are usually nicely fruit-forward. Their plum flavors and soft, velvety textures make these wines an easy-drinking, much-loved sip. You might also find some oak, vanilla, and spice as you swirl and savor. French and Italian Merlots generally show a little more earthiness and bite.

The most famous Merlots hail from Bordeaux, where the grape has always been used as a blending partner, adding suppleness to more muscular Cabernet Sauvignon. Pomerol is among the most famous of the Merlot-based Bordeaux blends. In the New World, tasty examples come from Australia, Washington State, and Long Island as well.

Merlot’s middle-of-the-road character makes it a comfortable choice when entertaining, and it can be enjoyed with a wide range of foods, including pork, turkey, burgers, and veggie dishes. Then again, the smooth texture also makes it easy to enjoy on its own.

P.S.  As a side note, I was just reading about some vines in Chile that were long considered to be Merlot, and turned out to be Carmenere – a little seen, ancient grape from Bordeaux. Carmenere looks like Merlot, grows like Merlot, even tastes like Merlot, and is now appearing on more labels each year. You should definitely give this wine a try if you’re a Merlot fan.

Chardonnay has been America’s favorite white varietal since 1994, but will the real Chardonnay please stand up? There are so many versions, so many blends, so many countries where Chardonnay is grown – it’s difficult to tell what true Chardonnay is really like. Having proven to be very easy to manipulate in the winery, Chardonnay is a moving target, capable of tapping dozens of aroma and flavor buttons along its stylistic stretch, from light aperitifs to big woody monsters.

Chardonnay’s runaway success and popularity in the U.S., along with the fact that the grapes are quite easy to grow, has helped spawn Chardonnay bottlings all over the globe. New waves are coming from Australia, New Zealand, Chile, Argentina, and South Africa. The most celebrated examples still come from the Burgundy region of France.

Chardonnay ranges from yellow to gold; those from France tend to be lighter colored. In its most natural state, Chardonnay flavors lean toward crisp apple and pear; French versions range from light and fresh, to steely and minerally (depending on whether it comes from the Chablis region or not). There are also tropical flavors found in many Chardonnays today: Banana, Guava, Pineapple, and melon are a few of the usual suspects.

However, generally speaking, California Chards are noticeably oaky. That oaky quality may come from French and/or American oak barrels that the wine was fermented in. These barrels can be different ages, and can also be toasted – thus imparting more of a “toasted oak” quality to the wine. The oak used in producing French Chardonnay tends to impart more vanilla tones, unlike California Chardonnay which is more rich and buttery. The buttery character in many California Chards comes from a trick in the fermentation that turns tart malic acid (think green apple) into lactic acid (think butter, cream, etc.).  Chards from other regions such as South America and Australia tend to fall between these two opposite ends of the spectrum. But no matter the region, oak gives Chardonnay a lot of the character and full-bodiedness that wine drinkers have come to expect. Regardless of what oak is used, the effect is essentially the same – it’s as if the winemakers are adding woodnotes like a chef uses spices.

Because of Chardonnay’s rich full-bodied nature, it is the perfect pair with a slew of different foods. Whereby other whites such as Sauvignon Blanc or Riesling are recommended for lighter foods, Chardonnays tend to work well with mild fish, creamier pasta dishes, corn, crab, shrimp, and chicken. This versatility is the reason Chardonnay is the “go-to” wine for many wine drinkers. Sure, I can write dozens of articles suggesting new whites in an attempt to broaden people’s palates. But that doesn’t diminish Chardonnay’s ego, nor does it change the the fact that Chardonnay is the true classic white varietal.

Sure, the aromas and flavors of a bottle of wine are the main factor in determining its quality, but serving the wine at the proper temperature and in the proper glass are tools to help you make the proper conclusion. These two seemingly simple tasks are so important; they can make a mediocre wine better, make a good wine taste just okay, or make a pretty good wine into something spectacular.  If you’re not serving your wine at the optimum temperature and/or in the correct glass, you may not really be tasting your wine at all!

Serving your wine at the right temperature can make all the difference between a so-so sip and a “wow” of a wine. While over-chilling wines can mask their flavors and aromas, serving them too warm can make them taste flabby and dull. For the most enjoyment, serve wines at the following temperatures (all in Fahrenheit):

• Champagnes/Sparkling Wines: 45 degrees
• Lighter whites such as Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling: 45-55 degrees
• Full-bodied whites such as Chardonnay: 55-60 degrees
• Lighter reds such as Beaujolais and Pinot Noir: 55-60 degrees
• Full Bodied Reds, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Zinfandel and Merlot: 62-67 degrees

To get your wines to these temperatures, chill reds about 45 minutes to an hour in the refrigerator before serving; two hours should suffice for the whites. Don’t worry if your wines are colder than the above temperatures when you first take them out of the refrigerator – the warmth from a room full of friends will quickly take the chill out of any glass, and soon your wine will taste just right.

And then, there is the all important stemware. Some wine lovers invest in an extensive array of glassware, with a variety of stems designed for specific grapes. In such a collection, not only is a red wineglass different from a white wineglass, but a Riesling glass differs from a Chardonnay glass, which differs from a Sauvignon Blanc glass. Indeed, if you wish, you can buy a glass specifically designed for every major varietal.

The good news for the casual wine drinker is that you needn’t invest in all those fancy stems to enjoy your favorite wine. If you drink both red and white wines, and occasionally drink sparkling wines, the following three styles of glasses will serve most of your needs:

• White wineglass: Because white wines are served chilled, these are generally smaller than red wine glasses. Less surface area helps keep the wine cool.
• Red wineglass: Serving red wine in large glasses allows the wine to have more contact with air, which helps the flavor and bouquet develop.
• Champagne glass and dessert: Narrow, fluted glasses are best for Champagne and sparkling wines because they help keep the bubbles intact and preserve the fizz. Dessert wines-typically sweet and often fortified-are usually consumed in small quantities. They’re best served in small glasses for delicate sipping.

If you’re not ready to invest in red and white glasses, it’s fine to have an all-purpose wineglass for both. Just be sure to look for wineglasses that become narrower at the top – this helps concentrate the bouquet. Also, clear wineglasses are definitely best, as they let you see the wine’s true colors.

Remember, too, that when pouring wines into the glass, fill the glass a little less than half full. This gives the wine’s flavors and aromas room to develop and lets you swirl the wine in the glass without splattering any on the carpet.

What’s outside is your key to what’s inside a bottle of wine. The labels tell you essentials like the producer, the grape type, alcohol content, growing region and more.

Why is a wine’s place of origin so important? It starts with the French concept of terroir. Literally the French word for soil, terroir (tehr-WAHR) refers not only to the type of soil in which grapevines grow, but other factors that can influence the character of the grapes, including climate, wind and altitude. Those products made outside of name-protected regions may be of high quality, too, but they will not be the same as those that hail from within a name-protected region. That’s why, by law, such products must be called something else – sparkling wine rather than Champagne, and Meritage rather than Bordeaux.

The French started their Appellation d’Origine Controlee (AOC) system in 1935. The system has evolved over the years, and now wine with an AOC designation must meet strict criteria for seven categories that include everything from the patch of land on which the grapes are grown to the maximum yield of grapes per crop. Since 1979, all wines under consideration for AOC status must be approved by a tasting panel. Other countries have followed suit. In 1978, America launched the American Viticultural Area (AVA) system. Unlike France, America’s system is limited to geography, but it ensures, among other things, that a bottle labeled Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is made predominantly from grapes grown in Napa Valley. There are now more than 200 recognized AVAs in the country.

When it comes to wine, the tricky thing with the AOC/AVA system is that an appellation can also be carved up into many sub-appellations. For example, in France, wine can be from Bordeaux in general, or from one of its sub-regions, such as Pomerol, St. Emilion, Graves or Medoc. In America, a region such as Napa Valley also has its sub-regions, including Oakville, Stags Leap, and Yountville. Wines within a designated region are likely to share basic characteristics. After trying several, you can decide whether or not it’s worth your while to sample more wines within that region.

For example, perhaps you have been disappointed by Pinot Grigio, but a friend serves you one that exhibits a depth and finesse you’ve never before enjoyed in this wine. Grab that bottle and take a really close look. Try a few more Pinot Grigios from that region, and if you like them, you’ll know that’s generally a style of Pinot Grigio you’ll enjoy. Another example would be to try a variety of Cabernet Sauvignon including one from the general area of Sonoma, Napa Valley and another from a sub-region such as Rutherford or Oakville. Then, throw in a Cab-based wine from Bordeaux, perhaps from the Medoc and Graves appellations. You’ll then be able to get a better handle on what region produces the varietal in the style that best suits you.

There’s no need to memorize exactly what the designations on wine bottles mean. Simply know that if you spot them, they’re an authentic link to place and, in most cases, standards and tradition. From now on, start casting a keen eye to where your favorite sips come from. Soon, you’ll start developing a new appreciation for what goes into making the world’s great wines. Here is the cheat-sheet you’ll need:

•    AOC (Appellation d’Origine Controlee), sometimes abbreviated to AC: the French system of geographically based wine regulation. Literally, “Controlled Appellation of Origin,” this system ensures that wines labeled by a particular region are, in fact, grown and produced in that region. In France, a wine labeled with AOC must also follow other guidelines, such as the varieties of grapes in the wine, the minimum alcohol content and winemaking practices.

•    DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata): the Italian version of the French AOC system. DOCG is a second, higher designation for Italian wine, with even more demanding laws.

•    DO (Denominacion de Origen): the Spanish version of the AOC system. DOCa is a second, higher designation for Spanish wine.

•    DOC (Denominacao de Origem Controlada): the Portuguese version of the AOC system. Portugal was the first country to implement such a system, in 1756.

•    AVA (American Viticultural Area): an American system that controls the geographical names used on labels. Unlike the French AOC system, however, the AVA system does not regulate other matters, such as grapes used, alcohol content and winemaking practices.

South American wine producing regions such as Chile and Argentina have made great strides in improving the quality of their bottles. It used to be that only a trickle of the wine produced in these countries ever made it into the American market. But now that countries like Chile and Argentina have stepped up their game, they are receiving more of an international spotlight. Today, much Chilean and Argentinean wine is simply too good to be kept secret, and it’s often sold at bargain-basement prices, to boot.

Argentina’s best wine-growing regions nestle up to the Andes, which provide plenty of irrigation water and a high-altitude climate featuring warm, sunny days and cool nights. With a nurturing environment like this, wine grapes simply couldn’t have it any better.

Red wines are by far the most consistent knockouts among Argentina’s offerings. And this shouldn’t be any surprise – what else would you be serving alongside the country’s world-famous beef? For Argentina’s best reds, think Malbec, a southwestern French varietal that actually seems to do better in Argentina than France. Often no more than a minor blending grape in French wines, Malbec becomes rich and distinctive enough to stand on its own when grown in Argentina-particularly when it’s grown in Mendoza, the country’s top region. Cabernet Sauvignon also yields some fantastic wines, either on its own or as part of a blend with Malbec.

Although reds are the biggest stars, the country is also home to a number of winning whites, including ever-popular Chardonnay. Most appealing of all though, might be a somewhat obscure variety called Torrontes. Aromatic, spicy, and light-bodied in style, Torrontes is worth a try when you’re in the mood for something not only unusual, but uniquely Argentinean.

And then there’s Chile. From luscious Cabernets to sumptuous Chardonnays, Chile offers excellent quality – varieties Americans know and love, and prices that can’t be ignored. And that’s just the tip of the Andes!

It’s not only wine drinkers who’ve been attracted to Chile – top foreign winemakers, lured by Chile’s exceptional climate, proven soil, and favorable land and labor prices, see the future of Chilean wine as limitless. Let’s face it, when names such as Lafite Rothschild of France, Torres of Spain, and Mondavi of California get on the Chilean bandwagon, the wine world sits up and takes notice. These companies and others – often backed by centuries of winemaking expertise – have made massive investments in new equipment and technology. This influx of money and know-how can only drive already high Chilean quality standards through the roof.

With loads of sunshine, ocean breezes, and plentiful water from the Andes, winegrowers claim that Chile is one of the easiest places in the world to raise quality wine grapes. Plus, it’s the world’s only major wine region never to have been affected by the vineyard’s number one enemy: the vine-destroying louse, phylloxera. All of this allows Chilean winemakers to experiment with new varieties. Although already justifiably famous for top-notch Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Chardonnay, similar success with varieties such as Pinot Noir, Riesling, Syrah, and many others surely is just around the corner. It could be that in Chile, we’re witnessing the future of wine.

You’ve chilled the bottle to just the right temperature. You’ve opened it up. You have all the right wineglasses in a row. Now, all you need to do is to pour and taste, right? Well, almost.

Before taking that first sip, remember that some wines should be decanted (that is, poured into another serving vessel) to allow the wine to “breathe.” This process aerates the wine, reviving dormant flavors and aromas. Decanting also helps separate the wine from any sediment that may have formed during its long hibernation in the bottle.

You’ll notice that most decanters are quite broad at the base. This shape allows a large surface area of wine to come in contact with air, letting the wine breathe additional oxygen. Sometimes, the wine is left in the decanter to breathe for an hour or more before serving. Nowadays, you can pour your wine through decanters, referred to as “in-bottle” decanters. So if you’re a little impatient, and don’t feel like taking the time to break out the decanter, check out the Soiree as a good “in-bottle” substitute.

If you still don’t enjoy waiting, and want instant gratification, the good news is that most wines don’t need to be decanted. The exceptions are dense, intense wines, like a Cabernet Sauvignon or Bordeaux that are more than eight years in age. Some young wines can benefit with a little breathe-time, too. This helps soften their abundant mouth-drying tannins. Also, if you find a strong alcohol taste present in a wine, either decant it or give it a few minutes in the glass before you give up on it—that “hot” quality may blow off after a little time.

There are some wines, however, that should not be decanted, regardless of age. These include delicate wines such as light white wines like Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, and Pinot Grigio. After too much contact with air, their subtle and complex aromas may begin to fade.

Lastly, here’s a tip for older wines: you may need to stand older wines upright for a day or two before decanting to allow all of the sediment to reach the bottom of the bottle. While decanting, it helps to hold a flashlight underneath the bottle’s neck while you’re pouring to make it easy to see the sediment; stop pouring once the sediment reaches the neck.

As I have mentioned in past articles, it’s tough to get out of a “wine rut” and on to different, possibly more exciting wines. During the summer, especially in Florida, there are only so many light, white wines to reach for, and the usual has become Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling. Great with salad, fish, fowl, or alone, light-bodied, fruit forward wines are real crowd pleasers. But now that I’ve moved like-minded wine buyers away from Chardonnay and onto new varietals, it’s time to try a wine that’s a real mouthful. It’s time to try a Gewurztraminer!

Gewurztraminer takes part of its name from the German gewurz, meaning spice. This is a wine for people who love full-throttle fruit and are not afraid of a specter of sweetness. Deeply colored, sometimes with gold or apricot tones, Gewurztraminers are perfumed with roses, lychee fruit, honey, and allspice. You should also expect to find a mouth-filling, almost oily texture in this rich, full-bodied white. But the most bewitching aspect of “Gewurz” is its phantom sweetness. Though technically dry, it is so rich and ripe that it gives an impression of honey amid big body and alcohol. Not a shy wine, even though it’s white!

Look to Alsace, France, for classic Gewurztraminers. California examples are much simpler and low-key, and may actually be sweet. As with Riesling, if the alcohol is less than 12 percent, some of the grape sugar is still in the wine. My suggestion is when trying a Gewurztraminer, start with a California style – it will be a good introduction to the varietal.

The wine’s wild character tends to mellow with food. But because it starts out with relatively high alcohol and body, it is heavier than most whites and is apt to overwhelm lighter foods. Strong cheeses (even stinky cheese, like the real Munster) work with Gewurz, as does smoked fish, onion tarts, Asian food – Chinese, Thai, even Indian – and the Alsatian classic choucroute garni (sausages in sauerkraut).

Try a bottle to test it out first; like strong-willed personalities, this relatively brash white wine tends to be a love-it-or-leave-it experience. I would start with a couple of inexpensive bottles that aren’t too complex, but will give you an understanding of the varietal. Two such bottles that can be found in most wine stores would be the Covey Run Columbia Valley Gewurztraminer and the Fetzer Vineyards California Gewurztraminer. I wouldn’t have you spend more than $10 on an experiment.