6 summer red wines to sip
These fun, juicy styles can be served chilled, says Sam Wylie-Harris
On a scorching hot summer’s day, one of the advantages of a fruity, youthful bottle of red is you can chill it – and look forward to those concentrated fruit flavours served cold.
It comes down to a matter of taste but most wine enthusiasts agree: bold, new world fruit or medium bodied reds with fresh acidity taste that much more delicious poured straight from the fridge (somewhere between 10 to 16 degrees).
Adding freshness to the finish, aromas and flavours become more focused, allowing for pure expression of the fruit. Moreover, that lovely berry fruit feels just as refreshing as those in the white corner.
Here’s what we’re sipping in the sunshine…
1. Asda Extra Special Old Vine Garnacha 2021, Spain, £6, Asda
In a word: Glorious. Easy drinking with plenty of bang for your buck, this IWC (International Wine Challenge) silver medal winner has BBQ red written all over it. Rich, smooth and well cushioned, it’s vibrant strawberry-raspberry flavours play out beautifully, topped with pretty florals and cassis notes and a fleshy, fruity finish. Serve chilled with burgers, spicy sausages and slaw.
2. Irresistible Carménère 2020, Maipo Valley, Chile, £7, Co-op, in-store
Carménère chilled I hear you cry? Yes, especially this fragrant fruit bomb – a super smart buy from the Maipo Valley, centre of the action for Chile’s leading wineries. Fragrant beams of blackcurrant fruit make you want to dive right in, with juicy plum, red cherries, soft spice and engaging green bell pepper lingering on the finish.
3. Finest Douro 2020, Douro DOC, Portugal, £10, Tesco
An intense, dark red full of brambly red and black fruits, a core of deep plummy flavours laced with soft spice and a long, concentrated finish – it’s a smooth ride all the way. Dependably delicious, it’s one to pop in the fridge half an hour before bringing out the piri piri chicken and salad.
4. Que Syrah Syrah 2020, Lodi, California, USA, £10.99, Virgin Wines
This is sunshine in a glass. Beyond the fun, pop art label, this wine is bursting with fresh raspberry, blueberry, sweet spice and slight hint of cinnamon, with expressive florals and touch of pepper as the wine fans out on the plush finish. A jammy thirst quencher when it’s chilled down.
5. CVNE ‘Maruxa’ Mencia 2019, Valdeorras, Spain, £10.99 Mix Six, £12.99 per bottle, Majestic
A delicious discovery, this Galician gem hails from the north west of Spain – and a great summer alternative to a Rioja. Featuring fragrant florals with raspberry accents, it is fruitforward with expressive blackberry, sour cherry and red fruit flavours, plus fresh acidity and a long, silky finish. Lively, food-friendly and immediately appealing, it offers plenty of zip with an icy plunge.
6. Leyda Reserva Pinot Noir 2020, Leyda Valley, Chile, £12, Tesco
Chile’s Leyda Valley – and its most awarded coastal winery – is a go-to for a polished pinot with lots of breezy finesse. Utterly delicious from word go, this wine sings strawberry and raspberry notes, flanked by herbal tones, supported by fresh minerality. With all the silkiness you’d expect from one of the world’s most popular reds, it’s beautiful chilled, especially in a heatwave.