Organic Vinho Verde Wine, 2012 Casa De Mouraz Biotite

We thought we'd be drinking Portuguese Vinho Verde all summer because as its name suggests, it's green in the best possible ways: The wine is fun, effervescent and effortless.

But the 2010 Casa de Mouraz Biotite Vinho Verde ($15 for 750 ml; buy here) gives us another new reason to drink Vinho Verde.

Produced by the region's first family-run certified-organic winery, the wine signifies a meaningful step forward at a time when many growers can't afford the risk of going natural.

Then there's the charm of the wine itself. Though Vinho Verde is known for its spritzy simplicity, the Biotite's wild yeast fermentation makes this bottling both purer and more complex than its contemporaries. Sure, the Biotite is still fizzy, but this vintage shares qualities with the pricier, mineral-driven other wine darling of summer, Riesling. This Vinho Verde has Riesling's low alcohol, succulent lemon and lime notes, and bright rinse of acidity balancing a kiss of sweetness.

More than simply a quintessential picnic wine, the Biotite packs enough depth to pair with grilled seafood or delicately spiced Asian dishes.

So here's to putting the "green" back into one of our favorite hot-weather whites.