Summer is without a doubt my favorite time of the year to cook, even if much of the time, by “cook,” I really mean assemble. Is there anything better than biting into a juicy slice of tomato sprinkled with salt and drizzled with olive oil? Do any aromas reach the same intoxicating heights as freshly harvested basil, rosemary, or thyme—or a burger on the grill?
     With the spoils of our gardens and farmers’ markets in mind, here are twelve wines in celebration of summer bounty. For starters, try our newest sparkling rosé, Domaine de la Chanteleuserie’s Fines Bulles, alongside a salad of watermelon, mint, and feta. For grilled fish, turn to Perrusset’s crisp Mâcon-Villages, or La Marca’s voluptuous and complex Verdicchio. If you’re throwing burgers or brats on the grill, you can’t go wrong with any of the fresh, low-tannin reds below, from the Bretons’ festive and fruit-forward Bourgueil to Château Moulin’s unusually exuberant take on red Bordeaux.
     These wines are delicious any time of year, of course, but like tomatoes, garden herbs, and outdoor grilling, they absolutely shine at the peak of summer.