Memorial Day, the traditional if not official start to summer, has come and gone. Here in Grand Junction it was unusually cool and wet for this holiday weekend, but rest assured that hot days are not far off.

I am a seasonal wine drinker. I tend to choose red wines in winter and white wines in summer, mostly to match with the seasonality of the foods I cook and eat. But the hot days of summer also add the dimension of seeking refreshment, and quaffing red wine under an umbrella just doesn't do much to cool my internal world.

Patio wine - a light, crisp and typically white wine ideally suited for drinking outdoors during the warm weather months, unaccompanied by food.

At Canyon Wind Cellars, owners Norm and Ellen Christianson  and their son, Jay, take a food-friendly approach to wine making. Their wines are crafted to complement and enhance meals, so they tend to be more European than New World in style.  Rather than big and fruity, these are restrained, balanced wines that meld fruit, mineral, and oak. Food-focused though they are, the lightest wine in the portfolio stands out as a a stand alone wine. The Pinot Grigio is lively and tart, with green apple acidity. It is light enough that it does not get tiresome to drink on its own; it starts bright and finishes clean, leaving the palate refreshed.

For a completely different approach to wine making, head to Carlson Vineyards. For Parker and Mary Carlson wine is all about fun. Here you will find wine labels adorned with prairie dogs and dinosaurs. You will also find (gasp!) wines made from fruits other than grapes. Specifically, the Carlson's press local cherries, peaches, and plums into juice during the summer season then carefully ferment them to retain the fresh taste of summer. The cherry wine pairs well with chocolate and the plum wine with Asian food. The peach wine makes a lovely match for a folding chair and a shade tree. It is slightly sweet yet still crisp and evokes an image of eating a fresh peach, complete with the juices running down one's chin.

Although the folks at Canyon Wind Cellars and Carslon Vineyards have differing philosophies and personalities, they share some important characteristics. Both sell excellent, award-winning wines in their tasting rooms seven days a week (as do most of the wineries in the area). And both have picnic tables under shady trees just steps from those tasting rooms.