Around this time of year, when I get thirsty, I don’t necessarily crave a specific color, grape, or region. Rather, I seek out a crucial bit of information that can be found in small print on the label of every bottle (no, not the import strip, although I have my biases there, too!). When a deep thirst strikes, the little numbers indicating a wine’s alcohol content take on paramount importance. And if today’s climate has made those prized low-alcohol wines scarcer, rest assured that they are still out there, ready to provide the lip-smacking refreshment their bigger brethren struggle to deliver.
             To borrow an expression from the beer world, here is a truly sessionable sampler highlighting six bottles clocking in at, or below, 12.5% ABV. If the term purportedly originated during the Great War, when British factory workers favored low-alcohol brews during their allotted “sessions” between shifts, it is just as relevant today for anybody keen to savor an extra glass or two and keep a level head—after business hours, of course.
           The low-alcohol rosé, sparkling, whites, and reds in this pack are not simple quaffers; they are nuanced, skillfully crafted products of terroir that just happen to be easy to quaff. Light on their feet with shimmering acidity, strikingly pure fruit, and a penchant for a nice chill, they are exactly what’s needed to get through summer. Let your session begin!