So, quick, let’s drink them up while the sun still shines. And I can’t think of a more summer-like white than Pinot Grigio. Long thought to be an insipid Italian excuse for white wine, the new styles are attracting more attention with their focus on bright fruit, tingly acidity, and citrus accents.

Pairing Pinot Grigio with summer fare – especially the grilled delights that we cling to as the summer sun sets – is quite easy given the wine’s versatility. The wine easily goes with pork, fowl, and seafood, fresh vegetables and steamed shellfish, and a long list of other food that is best served in the heat of the backyard barbecue.

In the past, I’ve paired it with a range of warm weather dishes, like tomato mozzarella salad, vinegar-based salad dressings, white pizza, salad with apples and nuts, sweet and spicy couscous, lemon-dill seafood salad, and assorted grilled seafood.

The key to appreciating Pinot Grigio is not to mistake it for a serious wine. It’s pleasant and fruity, it’s usually off-dry although some incarnations are finished “soft,” which is to say a tiny bit sweet, and it is laced with just enough acidity to give it structure and backbone – at least the new releases are.

So here are some to consider:

Castello di Gabbiano 2008 Pinot Grigio (Venezia, $10). Easy and light. Very refreshing; blended with a bit of garganega and chardonnay. Great match for summer food.

Villa Russiz 2007 Pinot Grigio (Collio, $34). Green apple, citrusy accent, zippy acidity, broad flavors, very refreshing, elegant beyond other PGs.

Vino dei Fratelli 2009 Pinot Grigio (Venezia, $11). Light, fresh, and appealing. Refreshing citrusy palate with lemon zest accents.

Addison is one of the country’s few Mobil 5-Star/AAA 5-Diamond restaurants, and anchors the Grand Del Mar Hotel in San Diego.  In addition to the 2500 bottle custom wine room in the middle of the dining room showcasing the best of Addison’s 37,000 bottles, Jesse Rodriguez offers an extensive selection of half- bottles from the world’s best regions.