With these great summer wines

When the weather's steamy, you need a wine that refreshes. Any of these will do the trick, quenching your thirst while serving as the perfect accompaniment to picnics and barbecues.

Combine apples, citrus, and sunshine in a glass and you have German Riesling, arguably the most smile-inducing wine for summer. Given their natural tendency towards lower alcohol, these delicious whites won't leave you woozy. Alsace and Austrian Rieslings are almost always completely dry while domestic versions usually have a bit of sweetness, both with standard levels of alcohol.

New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc is the perfect pairing with seafood. The crisp acidity finishes each sip with zip. Feeling adventurous? Try a Spanish Rueda instead-it's equally citrusy but not quite as pungent.

Grüner Veltliner, pronounced Groo-Ner FVelt-Leaner, is a dry, refreshing treat that can be purchased in popular liter bottles. Or indulge in some bubbly made for everyday drinking with Prosecco, a dry sparkling wine from Italy that's full of lemony citrus flavors. Refreshing and vibrant, this would be delicious as a still wine, so all the fun bubbles are an added bonus. Serve Prosecco before a meal, during a meal, after a meal, whenever. Another use? Add fruit juice for Mimosas, Kir Royales, or Bellinis. Spanish Cava is easily used as an alternative here. 

Serve Côtes-du-Rhône reds with grilled meat. Spicy and smoky, Côtes-du-Rhône contains gobs of red and black cherries, raspberries, and various other fruit flavors to whet the palate. For a little more "zing" with less smoke, pour a California Zinfandel.