Picking the right summer wine presents a whole other kind of ice bucket challenge.

Every summer brings an opportunity for some wine to come into its own. Decades ago it was the sickly curse of white zinfandel, and more recently Spanish albariño and Portuguese Vinho Verde made their plays to become the official wines of July and August. This year it’s Austria’s turn. Grüner veltliner is the country’s signature grape—all acid, white pepper and citrus. It’s austere but fun, sort of like its countrymen.

3 Great Summer Wines

2013 Grooner ($15) Its fun, cool label disguises a serious wine that hits all the green notes—apple, grass—with almost a slight effervescence.2013 Domäne Wachau Terraces ($16) A soft and subtle take—in classic Austrian packaging—with fresh peach, plum and gooseberry2013 Laurenz V. und Sophie Singing ($20) Made bone dry, this take on the grape really brings out the herby, minerally character—great depth of flavours. wine-for-summer