Uncork your summer with the best wines to drink right now
From a celebratory Prosecco to the perfect companion to a barbecue, these are the best bottles to sip in the sun
Words: Jonathan Wells
Is there any better sound in summer than a cork popping from a freshly-bought bottle? Be it a languid holiday morning, where the bubbly is being brought out to mix your morning mimosa; or a sunlit summer soiree, where the bottle will be the first of many opened until night finally arrives — that distinctive ‘pop’ is sure to lift your mood.
But what wines are perfect for summer? Some of our favourites are restricted for the winter months — full-bodied Malbecs and woody naked Chardonnays that compliment the wind and the rain we’re in hiding from. But summer? In the warmer months, you want your wine to celebrate the sunshine and fresh, long days. And we’ve got just the thing…
When you want the bubbles to flow: Berry Bros. & Rudd Crémant de Limoux by Antech
This is a beautifully balanced wine, that’s just perfect for a summer celebration. With elegant aromas of orchard fruit and honeyed spice, the palate marries more exotic fruits with a clean, pebbly backdrop and an impressive depth of flavour for a cremant de Limoux.
For lunching al fresco: Roberto Sarotto, Gavi di Gavi Bric Sassi 2019
Summer is all about eating outside, but the best meal on earth is nothing without a perfect wine pairing. If fresh pasta, oily fish or salad is on the menu, then so too should this silky, medium-bodied white. With juicy peach flavours delicately making themselves known, tempered by a scintillatingly refreshing minerality: this wine knows exactly what it’s doing.
When the forecast requires rosé: Minuty Côtes de Provence
We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again; Minuty really does know how to do rosé. Who knows what’s going to be on the travel agenda this summer; but you can pour the South of France directly into your glass with this exquisite wine. With orange peel on the nose, candied peach on the palette, and a delectably crisp, dry finish: this is a summer wine, in every sense of the word.
When it’s time to chill: Corbières Campagnès Maxime Magnon 2018
That’s not to say there’s no time for a red. Even though these fuller wines tend to be associated with the darker days of the year, bottles such as this Corbières Campagnès Maxime Magnon ’18 are a heaven-made match for small summer tapas meals. Hailing from ancient vineyards, it packs a real punch; but it drips with sheer elegance and unmistakeable finesse. Trust us when we say: it’s the perfect end to a hot, sticky day.
For firing up the barbecue: 2020 Berry Bros. & Rudd Argentinian Malbec by Pulenta, Mendoza
And, of course, it has to be another red when you fire up the barbecue. Floral blackberry aromas pair with a bright, blueberry freshness to bring you the perfect wine for those long, hazy evenings spent chargrilling your meat of choice; there’s even a hint of chargrilled meat in the flavour, overlaid by those sublime summer berry flavours. It’s a supreme Malbec which, when paired with a supreme steak, will take your grill game to a whole new level.
When you’re feeling adventurous: Dagon Clan ‘Har’
You might not be heading off on holiday this year; so why not travel the globe through your tastebuds? Hailing, in this case, from Romania, this crisp, light-bodied wine is an opportunity to try a new culture from the comfort of your own (socially-distanced, of course) garden party. With hints of cherry and loganberry on the palate, this is a wine to quench that summer thirst if ever there was one.
Have we got you thinking about those sunny days? Well, these are the best men’s fragrances for summer 2021…
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