Top wines for summer days
The weather’s not flash where I am right now, but I’m going to talk summer wines anyway. (Make sure you’re listening, sunshine).
Most of us go for wines that are light and crisp in summer. I say ‘‘most of us’’, because there are always exceptions.
Years ago, during a long hot London summer, I worked as a dresser in a West End theatre for an actor named William Squire. ‘‘I think a draught of wine is what I need,’’ Willie would declare every evening before the curtain rose, and then pour himself a glass of soupy, tannic southern European red. That preference was unshakeable, even before the afternoon matinees when Her Majesty’s Theatre was like a sweaty steam bath.
Unlike Willie, white and pink are the colours I mostly gravitate towards when I’m seeking vinous summer refreshment. And I certainly don’t mind if there are bubbles in the glass. Reds aren’t entirely out of the picture; a red style such as pinot noir, which is not built around tannic heft, is well suited to summer sipping.
Here is a lineup of wines I consider tailor-made for the warm days and evenings I assure you are on the way:
Allan Scott Family Winemakers Cecilia Brut NV $26
Very smart bubbles – the best yet made by this winery. White flower notes and yeasty complexity come WINE wrapped in appealing freshness.
Lindauer Classic Rose NV $16
A wine that never ceases to astonish, in good ways. Seamlessness and sophistication, at such a good price. Zesty, dry, and very drinkable.
M. Chapoutier Pays d’oc Rose 2015 $16
Three to four months’ ageing on lees give this rose added depth and an endearing toastiness. It’s juicy, dry, perfect with middle eastern spice dishes, and an excellent buy.
Taylors St Andrews Single Vineyard Release Clare Valley Riesling 2015 $45
If you’ve heard about how good Aussie riesling can be and want to try something decent, here’s your wine. It has weight (too often lacking in local riesling), intense citrus and fruitcake-like flavours, and an effortless flow. Dry in style.
O:TU Sauvignon Blanc 2015 $23
Call it ‘‘knoll’’ – it’s grassy enough. White currant notes play in the background, and the acidity is mouthwatering. This wine is all Awatere Valley, and proud of it.
Church Road Mcdonald Series Chardonnay 2015 $26
Summer chardonnay is best served lean and flinty. This juicy, lovely number has all of that, harnessed to a concentrated core of fruit.
Opawa Pinot Noir 2014 $29
Joyously pure and lively, with red and dark fruit notes in good voice, this is a seductive, crowdpleasing red.
Seresin Osip Pinot Noir 2014 $27
This wine is intriguing. It is classed as ‘‘natural’’, with no sulphur dioxide used during production. In the mouth it starts with attractive sweet pinot allure, then finishes with Campari-like austerity. I think it’s fabulous.