Few moments in the day feel as civilized and welcome as the apéritif. More than just a palate opener, a great first wine celebrates the transition from work to play, day to evening, and attunes our senses to the foods and flavors to come. While there are no hard or fast rules to choosing the right bottle, the livelier and more vibrant, the better. We’ve selected a few wines that we think are ideal candidates for that first sip.
     How about a crisp rosé? Clos Sainte Magdeleine’s Côtes de Provence delivers all the sweet citrus and saline you’d expect from a seaside wine. For a complete taste of the region, pair it with ice-cold radishes dipped in a salty anchoïade. When only a blanc will do, Manni Nössing’s razor-sharp and distinctly aromatic Alpine Kerner offers a weightless and refreshing way to awaken your taste buds, as does a classic like Régis Minet’s spry and flinty Pouilly-Fumé from the Loire valley.
     Apéro hour is a great time to experiment with quirkier wines, too. Veer off course to discover a sparkling gem like Davide Vignato’s from the northern Veneto. His “Primo Incontro” is bottled sui lieviti (on its lees) without disgorgement, providing unfiltered and unadulterated charm with a strong sense of place. If a wine with more substance feels appropriate, a sun-soaked rosé like Héritage du Pic St. Loup’s, from deep in the Languedoc, is great with duck rillettes or creamy fromages, but a chilled, near tannin-free red would equally satisfy! Paul Breton’s luminous Grolleau is bursting with juicy, sour berries and ends on a stony note leaving your senses alert and invigorated.
     Paired with even the simplest grazing snacks like nuts and olives, or well-seasoned chips, we’re confident this easygoing apéritif sampler will take you off-duty and into leisure mode. A votre santé!