A Lazy Summer Afternoon with Casal Garcia Vinho Verde

Ah hot lazy summer afternoons, they're hard to beat for having some good food and wine.  This is especially true with a Vinho Verde, which is arguably the perfect summer afternoon wine.  The combination of refreshing taste and lower price (usually under $10) are a hard combination to beat.  Pris read about these Portuguese wines a while back and we've been on the lookout for them ever since.  We tried one with my brother and his girlfriend on an excursion to Houston, and decided to pop open another bottle this afternoon.

This time we went for a Casal Garcia Vinho Verde Branco that I found at Feldman's here in Brownsville.  Its light, fruity, sparkly, and exceedingly refreshing.  This delicate white is full of citrus on the nose and the palate.  There's a light acidity that lends just a touch of tartness in the finish.  The low alcohol content aids in making the wine refreshing, and you can enjoy more of it without the intoxication issues (depending on how much more you drink).

We had a couple glasses with a chicken salad made with olives and feta on toasted pita.  The lightness of the wine went very well with light meal.  All summery and refreshing, and neither left the heavy feeling you get when you eat or drink too much.

The Casal Garcia Vinho Verde Branco is a good little wine to keep in stock for these hot summer afternoons.  It'll probably be a great pre-dinner go to wine as well due to the low alcohol content.  We picked up this bottle at Feldman's here in Brownsville for about $8.  You can find out more about this wine at:  http://www.casalgarcia.com/microsite/