Reds for summer you can chill before drinking
If you prefer red wine to white, there is no need to stop drinking it in the summer heat. The best reds for summer quaffing are made from thinner-skinned, lightly tannic, medium bodied grapes with a refreshing twist of acidity – pinot noir, gamay, zweigelt or cabernet franc fit the bill perfectly. Often they are even better with a quick 20 minutes chill in the fridge to bring flavours into focus and make them more refreshing.
My top ten tangiest, juiciest summer reds includes examples mainly from cooler Old World climates, as their reds tend to have mouthwateringly refreshing acidity and lighter body.
France: Poycelan Rouge 2016 Jacky Logel & Odile Verdier
This is from a little known appellation in central France, Côtes du Forez. Benedictine monks from Cluny first planted vines here near the source of the river Loire on volcanic basalt soils – today Logel-verdier are one of just nine growers left tending the old gamay vines. This is an enchanting cherry, raspberryfruited gamay with delicious pepperiness – one of the best examples I have tasted. £15, www.lescaves.co.uk; Henris of Edinburgh; L’art du Vin
France: Saumur Champigny 2016 Domaine Filliatreau
When I visited Domaine Filliatreau, we dined in their beautiful limestone cave on the banks of the Loire in Saumur. This was my favourite cuvée – their unoaked cuvée which is a big seller on the Parisian restaurant circuit – and you can see why, as it has such appealing red berry fruit flavours with crunchy fruits and a juicy mouthwatering acidity, ideal for serving with saucisson or jambon.
£13.75, www.yapp.co.uk
France: Beaujolais Villages 2015 Henry Fessy
The Fessys have been in Beaujolais since 1888, based in Brouilly Cru. Their Beaujolais
Villages is made from old vines in an excellent vintage, giving a real depth of fruit and intensity not normally found here. It smells of bubblegum and cherries with a fresh lively acidity, and is at its best chilled.
£10.50, Oddbins
France: Macon Pierreclos 2015 Albert Bichot
It’s unusual to find red Macon, as so many are white – but they do grow gamay here in Pierreclos village, one of Macon’s 43 villages. Using similar carbonic maceration techniques as in nearby Beaujolais to extract fruit and soften tannins, they have created a delicate plum flavoured red with a spicy tobacco finish.
£12, Oddbins
Austria: Zweigelt Classic 2013 Franz & Christine Netzl
If you like reds smooth, fruity and aromatic, try Austria’s most planted red grape, zweigelt – a cross of two Austrian grapes, blaufrankish and St Laurent. This example is lush and soft with ripe tannins and blueberry fruits.
£13, www.alpinewines.co.uk
Spain: Cuatro Pasos Mencía 2014 Martin Codax
The light cherry fruited mencia grape grown in the north-west Spanish region of Bierzo by the large Codax winery makes an ideal summery, easy quaffing red. Named after the four bear prints found in Bierzo, this 2014 vintage, made from 80 year old vines, is a distinct improvement on the last vintage with vivid bright cherried fruit, raspberry flavours; juicy, spicy with vanilla from short oaking. £9.99, Fine Wine Musselburgh; Whole Food Markets, Giffnock
California: Parker Station Pinot Noir 2015
Remember the Davy Crockett TV series? Fess Parker, who founded this winery in 1989, was the actor who played this popular figure in the 1950s. Made from a monterey, santa barbara and san luis obispo blend, the Parkers have created this charming, cherry fruited, plummy pinot noir with fine tannins and a hint of oak. We normally have to pay more for Californian pinot. £13.50, www.thewinesociety. com; £14.50, Amathus Drinks
Italy: Lagrein Dunkel 2013 Bottega Vinai
Lagrein is a northern Italian grape with an impressive heritage. Created from teroldego, it is closely related to pinot noir and syrah. This example, with raspberry notes and distinct spiciness plus a rustic edge, reminds me of syrah, with the softness of pinot noir or merlot.
£11.99, Valvona & Crolla
Italy: Teroldego 2014 Mastri Vernacoli
Trentino Alto Adigo in Italy’s mountainous north east is better known for its crisp pinot grigios, but their native red grapes make brilliant summer reds. Raspberry and blackcherry fruits mingle with a touch of smoky oak and mouthwatering acidity making it refreshing to drink in the heat.
£8.99, Valvona & Crolla Popular at my Rare Grapes tasting, pais was brought to South America by Hernan Cortes, and is now enjoying a renaissance. Similar in style to Beaujolais with a light fruity raspberry fruits and an earthy rustic spiciness, our tasters (we tasted 2015, but Majestic Wine now stock 2016) described it as easy and appealing for summer drinking.
£6.99/£8.99, Majestic Wine