We continue the Enjoyment Guide we started last month, discussing the famed food and wine pairings, with a new topic that is at the heart of the season. How we can maximize the enjoyment of our wine during the summer months. It's a fact that heat and alcohol are not best friends. Or, to put it more correctly, they are "conditional" friends. Today, we will seek these conditions, so we don't have to resort to beer out of necessity. The goal is to do it right by following simple steps, whether we are at home with a nice company or at our favorite restaurant.

Temperature: It is the most critical parameter that will maximize our enjoyment. What is the right temperature, you might ask. Do we need a thermometer that is also fashionable? Nothing like that. Sparkling, rosé, and white wines should be quite to very chilled, and reds slightly chilled. Yes, you heard it right for reds. We keep them in the fridge and take them out 5 minutes before consuming.

Then, it is essential to maintain the temperature accordingly. How? With a champagne bucket or any container with ice and water. The more chilled we want it, the more ice we use.

Common mistakes:

We are afraid to put reds in the fridge. Have faith, they will be fine.

We don't fill the champagne bucket up with ice and water or fill it only with ice.

Putting ice cubes in the wine, which for a quality wine is an insult, how can we do that now?

Serving: We serve the wine little by little, almost sip by sip, so it doesn't warm up quickly and so we can enjoy it at ideal cool temperatures. A white wine that would ideally be at its best chilled, for example, at 10 degrees, as soon as it warms up and goes to 20-25 degrees (not to mention 30 and above) will be completely flat, like a doughnut in the mouth, losing its nerve and balance.

Water: We make sure to drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration. You can follow the rule of drinking double the amount of water as wine. In any case, drink sensibly and, of course, do not drive afterwards.

The wines: Summer screams for softer wines but does not exclude colors and styles. There's room for everything, under conditions. Let's look at each category with some special choices from the shelves of Greece and Grapes.

Sparkling:
Although these wines are not seasonal, there is no better moment than to accompany anything fried with a sparkling wine.

Whites:
Prefer elegant, not too rich whites, and without too much barrel influence. Assyrtiko, Robola, Moschofilero, Vidiano, Malagousia, Roditis, Savatiano will give you plenty of options.

Rosé: The star of the summer, especially if you are near the water element and the frame includes a sunset. There are plenty of choices from Greece and from the wonderful year of 2019. Look for Xinomavro, Agiorgitiko, Moschofilero, Mavrodaphne, and discover that rosés with a stance, character, and nerve are wines for all seasons.

Reds: The heretical choice of the summer, which, however, can reward you, especially if you are adventurous. I would suggest moving to soft reds without many tannins that you can chill (for example, if you freeze a traditional Xinomavro or Cabernet Sauvignon, you'll be in for a shock, as the sensation of the tannins will hit red).

*To be continued, with orange and sweet wines.*