La Puerta, Torrontes, 2010, La Rioja, Argentina

I'm in the rank armpit of a Canadian heat wave. People here are simply not accustomed to dealing with intense heat. They get quite unhinged. I choose to look on the bright side of things - white wine tastes amazing when you are glazed with varnish of sweat. And the wine drinking makes the state of being unhinged a lot more entertaining. Finally, hot weather also trims your criteria for white wine down to a very manageable list: it must be ice cold, clean, acidic, and possess delicately refreshing fruit. So long live the heatwave. I'm a big fan of Argentinian Torrontes. It pulls through on all of these key indicators and is especially forgiving with respect to price. This is one of my everyday wines. La Puerta is no glory-boat. It's salt of the earth. Sub-$10. Your nonno would approve. I'm matching it with some mussels with double smoked bacon, blue cheese and more Torrontes.

Man Vintners, Chenin Blanc, 2010, Costal Region, South Africa

Chenin Blanc isn't a hugely popular grape with Canadian wine drinkers. Niche interest. Sommeliers like it, but they like every region, as long as it poses interesting questions and provides something distinct. Chenin Blanc is grown in quantity only in the Loire Valley and South Africa. The key to identifying Loire Chenin Blanc is its high acidity along with some honey and traces of summer flowers. Anjou, Saumur and Vouvray are parts of the Loire synonymous with Chenin Blanc - these would have been better places for me to start. I do not have a Loire wine in the substandard linen closet that serves as my cellar. What I do have in there is from South Africa. It's called 'Steen' on the Cape. Man Vintners is firmly on the value end of things. Grapes are sourced from 'bush-vine' or untrellised vineyards in the Agter-Paarl Region. This bush-origin is an important quality distinction for South African Chenin Blanc. Tropical fruit, crisp citrus and sharp acidity are said to be the defining tast-profile features. To be honest, this is my first Chenin Blanc. I'm matching it with snapper.

Wunsch et Mann, Gewurztraminer, 2008, Alsace, France

The Super Bowl is history. Much like my ability to digest pulled pork. I need something light, aromatic, and exotic. Something that I might seamlessly intertwine with the characteristics of the fragrant Alsace Gewurztraminer I picked up last July after a few too many Lychee Martinis by the poolside. Nostalgia is a dangerous lady. Yes, I am old enough to recall the golden summers of lychee martinis.