Warm weather of summer calls for light, tasty wines

With summer in full swing, I asked several wine professionals for recommendations appropriate for warm-weather sipping. Here are their replies:

» Mark Shishido (Wine director, Alan Wong’s Restaurants): Palmina, Pinot Grigio, 2010 ($15) is a dry, light, delightfully well-balanced and tasty Italian look-alike grown and produced in Santa Barbara, Calif.

I really appreciate the winemaking skills and craftsmanship of Steve and Chrystal Clifton. This wine is so good, it really is hard to have only one glass.

» Ivy Nagayama (Managing partner, Sansei Waikiki/DK Steakhouse): Cambiata Albarino 2008 (about $19) is a variation of the traditional house wine of northwestern Spanish fishing villages. It is typically sipped well chilled during the summer months and served with daily-catch seafood at village cafes.

But this one is grown on Monterey hillsides facing the ocean and made by Jim Moore, formally of Bonny Doon. I love the exotic perfume and lush texture of this wine and its refreshing and food-friendly quality.

» Sean Isono (Sommelier, Halekulani): 2009 Domaine A&P de Villaine Bouzeron (about $25) is one of the lesser-known of the Burgundy white grape varietals, although Aligote has really found its voice on the slopes of a village named Bouzeron.

Dry and delicate, this wine possesses a sense of roundness and charm that exudes even more flavor alongside some soft cheese and charcuterie.

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Chuck Furuya is a master sommelier and a partner in the DK Restaurants chain.