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The rules for pairing wine with food, say some aficionados, are twofold. First, there are none. Second, what you like is what you drink. Unfortunately, that doesn’t work for all of us, so here are some more creative suggestions for enhancing your dining pleasure this summer with wine.

Albario

In recent years, albario has become Spain’s signature white wine. It is pressed from grapes of the same name in Rias Biaxas, a region in Galicia in northwest Spain, and is the libation the locals turn to for relief from their hot and humid summer climate. The dry fragrance of this wine with its distinctive grapefruit and white peach flavors makes it appealing for a variety of warm weather dishes, notably lemon chicken and grilled sole. Try it with shellfish, too. It’s a great accompaniment to freshly shucked New England oysters.

Chardonnay

ABC — Anything But Chardonnay — did I hear you say? We seem to have drunk little else in recent years, so your reluctance is understandable. But wait — there’s a growing number of chardonnays that promise a more food-worthy experience than the run-of-the-mill, over-oaked, fruit-driven wines vinted from this grape. Take “unoaked” or “unwooded” chardonnay, for example. It’s matured in stainless steel vats rather than oak barrels to preserve the fresh, zesty character of the varietal and cut the flab. Savor unoaked chardonnay with seasonal favorites such as poached poultry, seafood salad and simple risotto. That should restore your faith in this summer staple, which reaches its peak in France’s most elegant chardonnay-based wine, Chablis.

Soave

Many of us drank this clean, crisp Italian white regularly a couple of decades ago (remember Bolla Soave?) but it is now eclipsed by its more effervescent cousins, prosecco and moscato. The wine is extracted from the garganega, chardonnay, pinot blanc or trebbiano grapes in the Veneto region of Italy. The best Soaves — and you need to choose carefully — are verdant straw yellow in color exhibiting white flower and almond tones backed by moderate acidity. These characters make it a very satisfying summer sipper to accompany Mediterranean palate pleasers such as antipasto, angel hair pasta alle Vongole and the classic Italian salad insalata tricolore.

Vin ros

As an apritif or as a menu mate when the sun sizzles, ros wine hits the spot. There’s a great selection available from Old and New World wine regions ranging in color from onion skin to brilliant garnet, together with an equally diverse spectrum of tastes. Not to be confused with white zinfandel or so-called blush wines, real ross offer a wide variety of characteristics thanks to the extensive choice of red grapes from which they can be created. In some cases, they’re almost bone dry and in others lightly perfumed with fresh summer soft and stone fruits, but they’re always bright and refreshing. Pairing ross with savory summer dishes is simple. They can complement many seasonal favorites including charcuterie, steamed prawns, paella and bouillabaisse. Getting acquainted with refreshing ross especially at picnics and pool parties will make your summer day.

Torrontes

Vinified with Argentina’s marquee white grape, Torrontes is a palate-friendly, easy drinking libation for summertime’s languid days and balmy evenings. Pale gold in color, its distinctive floral notes often exhibit a touch of orange blossom, but moderate acidity enables it to partner well with summer fare. In particular, it goes nicely with appetizers such as liver pt with Melba toast, Vichyssoise soup and soft, creamy cheeses such as Brie and Camembert. Torrontes is a good pick, too, for entrees such as pork loin and cold roast chicken salad. And try this varietal when you’re enjoying Asian cuisine. Its delicate aromas of muscat and lychees combine tastefully, for instance, alongside ahi seared tuna, spicy maki rolls and wok-stirred, crunchy seasonal vegetables.

Sparklers

Most of us identify bubbles with celebrations, but they also can make very welcome dining guests. These days the price of Champagne tends to limit our consumption to special occasions. Fortunately, there are many affordable sparklers available for adding grace and flavor more frequently to our summer fare. Crmant d’Alsace is a good example. It’s hard to distinguish from French Champagne in both its white and ros iterations. Alsation winemakers use chardonnay and pinot grapes like the French do for Champagne.

Sometimes they add a regional touch by also blending in varieties such as Auxerrois and riesling grapes. The result is a zesty sparkler with fine mousse and food-friendly acidity levels. The pairing possibilities for food and sparkling wines are almost endless — even burgers and pizza! Crmant, in particular, serves elegantly in summertime with smoked salmon, gazpacho soup, steamed lobster and washed rind cheeses.

If you prefer fizz with more aromatic, honeyed characters choose moscato. It’s well up to matching rich fruit and flour-based desserts such as chocolate-dipped strawberries and tiramisu.

Beaujolais

This wine has acquired a bad rap mainly due to the commercial exploitation of its least drinkable persona — Beaujolais nouveau. Beaujolais villages is a much better bet, together with its New World iteration, gamay. The gamay grape, from which virtually all Beaujolais is made, tends to give the wine a lighter hue than that of its more prestigious pinot noir-based Burgundian neighbors. Both Beaujolais villages and gamay exhibit the same strawberry and raspberry flavors on the palate with soft tannins and fresh acidity. They can impart a flavorful touch to warm weather favorites such as cold roast duck, pulled pork and Cornish hen.

But if you venture into the next level of French gamay-based wines known as Beaujolais cru, such as Julinas, Morgon and Moulin Vent, you’ll discover a treasure trove of more sophisticated yet affordable libations. Choose Beaujolais cru wines for heartier summer fare such as barbecued ribs or grilled ham with pineapple and relish the results.

While it’s up to you, as the gurus say, to decide which wines will make your seasonal meals more pleasurable, there’s no question that choosing wisely will add style and enjoyment to your experiences when it’s time to dine in or out this summer season.

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