Belgian merchants promote reds as summer wines.

[Tim York]

Each year the excellent wine merchant TGVins/Le Vin Passion makes a promotional offer of summer wines (“vins d’été”). As always the pride of place goes to Grenache dominated reds from the south of France http://www.tgvins.be/fr/offre-speciale/ ... -2009.html . This may seem counter-intuitive but those listed here, e.g. the Côtes du Ventoux from Fenouillet, are not thick textured and highly alcoholic like much CndP and Gigondas and go beautifully slightly cooled, say 15°C (c.60°F) with fishy summer salads, like salade niçoise, or with barbecues. Mention of CndP reminds me that I have even enjoyed a lighter but delicious one (Nalys, I think) served cool from a pitcher in an Arles restaurant. Reds like this are, IMHO, much more satisfactory than most pinks, all except the best of which, e.g. Tavel, seem comparatively insubstantial

Here are suggestions from another Belgian merchant, Espace Vin Pirard , for summer pairings, including red wines http://www.espacevin.com/fr/accords-vin ... t-mets.asp . Counter-intuitive here is the use of “Z”, a Merlot dominated Bordeaux with grills, but even more so is Saumur-Champigny with asparagus; I must try it.

[David Creighton]

i'd guess that something got lost in translation. Saumur champigny is the local favorite with asparagus - of course it is the white version. reminds me of the old saw that a gentleman is someone who CAN play the accordian(or your own choice); but DOESN'T. I worry about people who say that anything can actually taste good with anything else.

[Tim York]

i'd guess that something got lost in translation. Saumur champigny is the local favorite with asparagus - of course it is the white version. reminds me of the old saw that a gentleman is someone who CAN play the accordian(or your own choice); but DOESN'T. I worry about people who say that anything can actually taste good with anything else.

Nothing lost in translation; they describe the combination as a revelation which is the same word, barring an accent, in both languages. I actually tried the pairing last night and thought that the asparagus brought out a metallic streak in my Saumur-Champigny; it was not, however, the same one as Pirard sells; I should perhaps try it again with that.

BTW, AFAIK there is no white Saumur-Champigny; the Chenin based whites made there have the appellation Saumur.