I’m writing this from a desk pushed up against the second week of June in Seattle. My mind is migrating to any place where people might be celebrating Summer by reveling in Springtime sunshine. Pagans. Not the kind of thing we see in June up in these parts. To combat my geographical dislocation, I go to a sunshine-laden vineyard in my mind: my happy place. Once there, I embrace the perfect weather with a bottomless variety of Patio Pounders. That is, wines that pair deliciously with the warm sunshine of my imagination. Important note: Patio Pounders are not the same as “quaffable” wines. In this office we define “quaffable” as a certain drinkability that stems from a little less seriousness in regards to winemaking, for example. A quaffable wine is wet more than it is flavorful. It’s nothing to ponder, just something to accompany socializing without leaving a bad taste (like canned peas) in your mouth. We say this with all due respect, as quaffable wines are an important part of anyone’s vinous repertoire. Patio Pounder (/ˈpætiˌoʊ, ˈpɑtiˌoʊ/ Pronunciation Key: PAT-ee-oh POUN-der) noun 1. Delicious, refreshing wine that provides an extra layer of awesome to a great afternoon on a patio with your favorite wine drinking friends and no agenda besides good times. May come in many colors (three) and might appear anywhere on the scale from sweet to dry, sparkling to still. 2. In reference to time of day, as in afternoon, or that time when a wine drinking voyage consisting of multiple hours and bottles may just be starting. Tavola Rosso stands firm on this definition, because as the title suggests, Patio Pounders is a concept from the collective mind of our besotted editorial staff. Patio Pounders are not heavy, are not room temperature (nor should any wine be room temperature but we’ll argue that some other time), and frequently are not red (let the hate mail begin!). Patio Pounders do not require food per se, but food is the best thing that ever happened to wine, and vice versa ad infinitum. Patio Pounders cannot be generalized by varietal, or region. Can a clean, cool, crisp chardonnay from France, let’s say a Mersault, wonderfully accompany your afternoon in the sun? Yes. Does the brilliant Ramey Hudson Vineyard chardonnay have patio poundability? No, too rich. Laurent Perrier Rose Champagne? Yes please. Krug Grand Cuvee? No. Is Krug arguably among the finest Champagnes ever produced? Without a doubt. But drinking a rich glass of bubbling bread in the hot afternoon sun sounds… No. A Patio Pounder has complexities that ready your palate for more, without the weight of a wine that belongs with dinner. It revs up excitement for further wine list exploration, gets the wine tongues wagging. And perhaps most importantly, it doesn’t tire out your mouth, your mind, or your body. A nice glass of cabernet in the afternoon is a marvelous idea for anyone preparing to nap. For those who want to start with a little wine, and then move into some wine later, and maybe wine with dinner, it’s important to grasp the sub-category that is weather paired with time-of-day. The name of this game is light-to-medium body. A silky Cru Beaujolais with a slight chill has gorgeous poundability. An earthy, sumptuous Russian River pinot noir? Not before dusk. If you could step into our happy place with us, at 2pm we’d smash together tumblers of falanghina in Campania. Stoically clink our Schott Zwiesel’s of riesling in the Pfalz by 4:00. In Catalan we’d declare Sant Hilari, fill de puta qui no se l’acabi and switch to tempranillo (from Cava) for sunset. You see, drinking wine all summerday long is more than a pleasure, it’s an art that benefits from strategy. Salud, and best of luck. We’re here for support should you need it. -The Oenanist