I love Italian white wines for the summer. Not only are they (mostly) light crisp and acidic but also have a slight pleasant bitterness on the finish. Although we usually associate bitter as a negative connotation with food and beverage, I would challenge that belief. The bitterness adds a certain complexity and balance with alcoholic beverages; look at tonic water, barrel tannins in bourbon and the entire class of craft cocktail bitters. Along with acidity, they seem to add a certain fresh “pop” to the palate of the parched consumer.