You’re probably familiar with the classic “red or white wine in the summertime” debate. Well, it is still well under way among avid wine lovers. You might want want to steer clear of any discussion of the newly introduced orange and blue wines to keep it all manageable for now.

Whether you want a “chilled white wine,” or rogue red wine to break with some mysteriously developed tradition. There really are no rules. You might occasionally find yourself longing for a glass of Padrillos Malbec and a sliver of high cocoa content dark chocolate on a simmering July evening and wonder to yourself, “Is that…done?” Well, to put it simply, of course!

It is always best to drink the white wine, rose wine or white wine that pleases you craving, instead of some arbitrary recommendation. But if you want to dig more deeply into this lively head-scratching debate, here are a few strategies to simplify your decision-making process:

• Attend Local Wine Taste Testings. Search the Midtown NYC area to find a wine bar that features a professional sommelier who will discuss unique aspects to each type of wine, such as antioxidant and acids content, as well as the composition of each type of wine. These factors might help inform your choices. Either sign up or show up for a scheduled event. While at a demonstration, ask your own questions about the right wine for any occasion so you always feel confident when out at social occasions, as opposed to evenings enjoying the summer air on your patio.
• Keep Your Favorites of Each Wine Type On Hand. With this solution, you never have to make a difficult choice. Since you are not bound by anyone’s opinion but your own, open your bottle of choice — whether the deepest red or the lightest white — and pour.

At the end of any debate session, most wine lovers agree that the goal is to let your wine enhance and enrich a good meal and good conversation, or to stand in as ideal accompaniment to a good book.

When you visit Ayza this summer, you will feel no judgment, no matter what shade of wine hue you order. Enjoy a light dinner, a wine tasting and demonstration from an expert sommelier, a light food recipe like the Italian Frutta Mista, and some delicious dark chocolate for a well-rounded experience in a relaxed setting.