While food trends come and go, it is nice to see that two of our favorite imports are now staples of the dining scene in most major cities: tapas and ceviche. Both light seafood tapas and ceviche are perfect for summertime eating and entertaining. They are cool and refreshing, don’t require much (or any time) laboring over a hot stove, and the flavors of brine, citrus, and spice are just right with easy-drinking, cold white wine. What we look for in wine is the same sort of balance you have in the food: flavor with touches of depth and complexity, backed by zesty notes of citrus and tropical fruits.
Almost every bar in Spain is topped with a covered case of appetizers and as Spanish cuisine has elevated itself in style in recent years, tapas have gotten a makeover, too. When it comes to bracing summer foods that can cool you down with the first forkful, nothing beats classic ceviche. For a fun variation, we love to drink our fish and citrus combo, as in these fun ceviche shooters. Since we think every meal should begin with white wine and oysters, we really like the idea of oyster ceviche. All you need is one or two of these dishes and a few chilled bottles of our favorite wines:
Concha y Toro Casillero del Diablo Chardonnay, Santiago, Chile
Light and crisp yet fresh and intense with flavors of piña, Granny Smith apples, and lemon zest, this 100% Chardonnay from the Southern Hemisphere is certainly a crowd pleaser.
Veramonte Ritual Sauvignon Blanc, Chile
This Sauvignon Blanc is aged in stainless steel and never in oak barrels—that’s why it maintains a racy and vibrant style making it perfect for sunny day gatherings con familia and friends.
Babich Sauvignon Blanc, New Zealand
New Zealand is well known for its fresh, clean, and herbaceous Sauvignon Blancs. Babich does it right and there are four different levels depending upon your budget, but whichever you choose, you won’t break the bank.
Next up, more top picks for white wines.
[ pagebreak ]Ken Forrester Chenin Blanc, South Africa
Chenin Blanc is the number one grape grown in South Africa, and Ken Forester makes two of our favorites. We love his everyday Chenin Blanc, but if you want a bit of a splurge, go for the FMC label.
Terras Gauda Albariño, Spain
The Rias Biaxas area of northern Spain is also called “Green Spain,” and for a good reason. When you visit, you’ll see endless hillsides covered with grape vines producing crisp, clean, and mineral driven vinos blancos. You’ll swear you can taste the nearby Atlantic Ocean.
Drouhin Bourgogne Blanc, France
Veronique Drouhin’s family is well known in Burgundy for making delicious single plot wines at all price points. We love her 100% Chardonnay Bourgogne Blanc.
Soave Bolla, Italy
Always a classic, Soave Bolla Classico has been the perfect white wine for casual entertaining for decades.
Brocard Chablis, France
Jean Marc Brocard’s family has been making fruit driven, crisp, and clean 100% Chardonnay wines for generations. There’s a nice bit of minerality and salinity in his wines due to the fact that his vineyards were once an ancient seabed.
Marques de Riscal Verdejo, Spain
Marques de Riscal makes delicious red wines, but this spring we’re loving their light and fruity Verdejo. It’s like drinking verano in a glass.
Isabel Mondavi Chardonnay, California
Made by Isabel’s son, Rob Mondavi, Jr, this Chardonnay has many of his Mom’s characteristics—it’s elegant with just the right touch of finesse.
Next, two seafood recipes to perfectly pair with white wines.
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Grilled Spicy Shrimp and Pineapple Skewers 
- 24 extra-large or 32 large shrimp, about 1 1/4 pounds
- 1 large pineapple
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1 1/2 tablespoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 4 limes, quartered, for garnish
- 1 pound octopus
- 1 1/2 pounds medium shrimp
- 3/4 pound cooked crabmeat, fresh or canned
- 1 small red bell pepper, cut into 1/4-inch wide strips
- 1 small green bell pepper, cut into 1/4-inch wide strips
- 1/2 pound green olives, pitted
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- salt and ground black pepper
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