Although beer may be the beverage of choice for many now that summer is finally upon us, a glass of wine can be just as refreshing. A good Pinot Noir, especially one produced in a cool-climate wine region such as Burgundy, New Zealand or Australia’s Yarra Valley, can provide layers of red fruit flavors with a cleansing ¡®zing’ of acidity at the end to leave you wanting more. Recommended bottles include Alois Lageder from Italy (￥317, ASC Fine Wines 6418-1598 ext. 200, homedelivery@asc-wines.com), Yering Station 2005 from Australia (￥286, The Wine Republic orders@thewinerepublic.com) and the Villa Maria Cellar Selection from New Zealand (￥431, Summergate 6562-5800, cellar.door@summergate.com). Best served chilled, these wines pair well with Asian cuisine --from Vietnamese spring rolls and Malaysian Sambal to Chinese.

Campbell Thompson
Managing Director of The Wine Republic
http://www.thewinerepublic.com