Here are my favourite summer wines. I usually lean toward being light, refreshing, and easy to chill wines during the summer months … writes Kanwal Toor
The heat is on – and summer is here! Time to have that perfect glass of white wine with a light salad at lunch or a pan fried fish at night! Here are my favourite summer wines. I usually lean toward being light, refreshing, and easy to chill wines during the summer months.
White Wines
Sauvignon Blanc — Crisp, citrusy, and often with herbal notes. Perfect for hot days. Cloudy Bay sauvignon blanc 2022 is one of my favorites. Astrolabe Awatere Valley sauvignon blanc 2022 is another light one you can try.
Pinot Grigio — Light-bodied, zesty, and clean. Mezzacorona Pinot Grigio Riserva is an exceptional wine that delights the senses with its elegant flavors and refined character. Channing Daughters Pinot Grigio is a symphony of flavors, where each ingredient contributes its unique essence to craft a remarkable wine – try it with that black cord or a light sea bass.
Albariño — Albariño is a white grape variety native to and most commonly grown in northwest Spain (Galicia specifically), as well as the northwestern Portuguese regions of Monção and Melgaço, where it goes by the name Alvarinho. Just outside of Porto in northern Portugal, Casal de Ventoleza offers fine viticultural conditions. The Ferreira Cortinhas family have been making wine there since the Seventies, but only branched out into alvarinho in 2012. This is surprisingly full-bodied, with a richness from aged oak barrels, yet still crisp and refreshing and one of my favourites.
Gavi — One of the first Italian white wines to gain an international reputation. It’s more formally known as Cortese di Gavi because it is made exclusively from the Cortese grape. Gavi is the region, which is in the Province of Alessandria. Gavi wines are crisp, refreshing, and so bone dry that they’ll leave your mouth tingling. My absolute favourite is Gavi di Gavi, refreshing, light and sumptuous.
Rosé Wines
Dry rosés are fantastic in summer — think Provence rosé with strawberry and melon notes. They’re versatile and pair well with lots of summer food.
Sparkling Wines
Prosecco or Brut Champagne — Bubbly and refreshing, great for celebrations or just a sunny afternoon. For the brand and the effortlessness Bollinger La Grande annee rosé 2015 is my favourite. For the budget friendly try the light Veuve Monsigny champagne brut – I especially like this for a day out picnicking!
My pet peeves with restaurants serving white wines with no or little wine etiquette are :
1.Small selection of wines- why have a wine list when you literally have two bottles of white and red on the menu? Also a day old open white , especially if cheap, is acidic and horrible please throw it!
2.White wines that aren’t chilled – so, in temperate climates white wines must be chilled and refrigerated for about an hour before being served. Who likes a lukewarm white anyway?
3.Dirty or stained glasses – please, please train your staff to clean the glasses properly, before they serve in them. It’s grim to see finger or water stains on glasses when about to sip that beautiful wine.
4.Glasses not chilled before serving white wine – I have been to restaurants where glasses have literally come out of a dish washer – or at least they seem to have – before wine is poured in them! Please chill your glasses – swirl an ice cube in the glass – and then serve if you’re in a rush.
