On a sweltering day at Signature Willamette Valley, out from the kitchen came a plate of Dungeness crab and celey root salad-a light, summer-ready plate that one might expect to be paired with something equally summery like a refreshing chilled white wine. Instead, it was matched with a Pinot Noir from Stoller Vineyards, and the pairing was magic.
Shocked that a glass of red can be just the thing on a hot day? If the glass you’re sipping isn’t heavy on oak or dark fruit notes, it isn’t offbeat at all. Just keep “light and fruity” in mind-not “dark and oaky” – and you’ll soon discover that your favorite wines to sip between Memorial Day and Labor Day might just be reds. Just be sure to serve them slightly chilled, at around 50-55 degrees Fahrenheit.