Summer is coming and it just may be the right year to branch out of the Chardonnay box. Don't get me wrong, I love a good Chardonnay, but I'd like to recommend some alternative for your summer sipping.

Sauvignon Blanc is a lively fresh, light, and crisp varietal with good melon and citrus overtones. It often has less oak than Chardonnay and higher acid so it is more food friendly and refreshing to drink. Here are a few of my current favorites.

Summer IZ Here!

Yes, it's time to roll out the lazy days of summer. . . Time to enjoy your backyard, your deck, your air-conditioning, and your barbeque. And what wine do you drink with all of this outdoor cooking? ZIN! Nothing goes better with all of the things we love to grill than spicy, rich zinfandel.

It's bombastic, fruitastic, and the best choice with barbeque sauce (on chicken, on ribs, or on anything else you like to douse in the spirited sauce of summer). Pepper and spice sure make zin nice. Why, it even works great with grilled vegetables, sans sauce. Make Bacchus proud (and happy), have zinfandel with all the zesty fare of the season - it'll make you happy, too.

Here are some of our favorites you may want to try:

2000 Rancho Zabacho Dancing Bull - $

2000 Cline, California - $

1999 Trentadue - $

2000 St Francis Old Vines - $$

2000 Rosenblum Rockpile Road - $$$

And, if you want to try the zenith of zin, try the very limited production, top of the line. . .

2000 Rosenblum Samsel Vineyard - Maggie's Reserve - $$$$

PRICES: $= under $15, $$= $16 & up, $$$= $25 & up, $$$$= $50 & up