Chill out
Many associate the summer with rosé wine, but there’s an array of reds perfectly suited to the warmer months. So why not give crisp, young, light-bodied, fruit-forward bottles with fresh acidity, low levels of alcohol, oak and tannins the green light by pouring them slightly chilled? You’ll be amazed at how much crunchier and more stimulating they taste says our Drinks Editor James Viner
To chill or not to chill? Just don’t go too low!
Temperature is the DJ of your wine party, setting the mood and enhancing the flavours. While it’s one aspect you can control, many people get it wrong: white wines are often served too cold, and red wines too warm. When served excessively cold, reds taste thin and insipid, with the tannins seeming more astringent; if too warm (over 18°C/64°F, ‘room temperature’), they lose freshness and become a soupy mess with noticeable alcohol.
Slightly chilled, the reds listed below are perfect for barbecues, picnics, and relaxing outdoors with a glass (avoid stemless ones) in hand. While full-bodied reds like Shiraz are best served at 18°C/64°F, these lighter bottles are more refreshing at 12-13°C/54-55°F, the ideal temperature for storing wine. Just pop them in the fridge for 30 minutes before serving. Cheers!
1. 2023 SPECIALLY SELECTED LE BOURGERON PINOT NOIR, Limoux, Languedoc, France (Aldi, £6.99)
Treat aromatic light reds, for example cool-climate Pinot Noir, like whites, i.e. serve cool. From Limoux, in the chilly foothills of the French Pyrenees, this silky BBQ-ready red brims with oodles of tangy cranberry, redcurrant, raspberry and cherry fruit. Juicy, fleshy and medium-bodied, there’s plenty of everything set to finely tuned tannins. Perfect with BBQ burgers and sausages. Great result at the price for such a tricky grape.
2. 2023 SANTA TRESA, RINA RUSSA ORGANIC FRAPPATO TERRE SICILIANE IGP, Vittoria, Sicily, Italy (Cork of the North, £12,99 & Waitrose, £11.99, down to £9.99 at Waitrose until 20.08)
Native to Vittoria in southeastern Sicily, Frappato is the south Italian progeny of Tuscany’s Sangiovese. Made by celebrated consultant winemaker Stefano Chioccioli, this pure, sun-kissed, scented, organic example offers scrumptious red berries, pomegranate, cherries and wild strawberries, with delicious depth on the ripe palate; balanced by ample acidity and a lifted, fresh finish. A great option served chilled with fish – hello grilled tuna and pasta con le sarde (sardines). Delizioso! Fun, transparent and marvellously persistent for the money.
3. 2023 FAMILLE BOUGRIER, LES TERRASSES SAINT-NICOLAS DE BOURGUEIL, Loire, France (Tesco, £11)
A fine herbaceous 100% Cabernet Franc is reminiscent of good Beaujolais: a mouthwatering, summery red that never fails to bring a smile to your face. Completely unwooded, this sappy red from gravel-based vines on the north bank of the Loire boasts flavours and aromas of red summer berries, violets, freshly turned earth and capsicum. Exquisitely balanced with vibrant acidity and gentle tannins. One for charcuterie, beef fillet and roast gammon.
4. 2022 XINOMAVRO JEUNES VIGNES THYMIOPOULOS, Naoussa, Macedonia, Greece (The Wine Society, £13.50)
Lap up and lightly chill this joyful, perfumed, lightly-extracted, medium-weight Xinomavro (meaning ‘sour black’) from young vines in elevated PDO Naoussa, the most renowned appellation of northern Greece. Brimming with dark fruit, wild Mediterranean herbs and strawberries, it has just a soupçon of earthiness and sundried tomato. Racy, thirst-quenching, charming and lingering with sibilant acidity. Pronounce this capricious grape as ‘ZEE–no–mav–ro.’ Enjoy it with pulled pork and BBQ sauce.
5. 2022 BERRY BROS. & RUDD BEAUJOLAIS-VILLAGES BY LOUIS CLAUDE DESVIGNES, Beaujolais, France (Berry Bros & Rudd, £15.50)
Hosting a summer garden lunch with friends, family, neighbours (and their dogs)? For a memorable red vinous treat, pour a top-notch Beaujolais-Villages from Berry Bros & Rudd. This is the perfect gluggable (‘glou-glou’) bistro bottle to sit outside with on a balmy summer’s evening; a dazzling red summer-pudding berry, floral, mineral and graphite-stashed red from a parcel of south-facing 60-year-old Gamay vines planted on granite soils high up in the village of Jullié. This wine is not just a treat; it’s a journey of flavours—moreish, persistent, and impeccably balanced. Try with seared tuna, salads and grilled meats.
6. 2023 BALFOUR ‘1503’ PINOT NOIR, Staplehurst, Kent (Majestic, £18.99, mix six)
Named after the founding year of Balfour winery in nearby Staplehurst, the ‘1503’ range has been a part of Majestic’s homegrown selection for a decade. Savour this stylish pale Pinot Noir, its notes a symphony of zingy red berry fruit with a whisper of spice, letting it cool your senses like a gentle breeze on a warm summer’s day. Serve with grilled salmon, cod wrapped in prosciutto or barbecued leg of lamb. Cheers to a local favourite!
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