While you might instinctively go for a bottle of bubbly Prosecco or a chilled white wine this summer, there are plenty of great reds wines you should be enjoying too. We often associate a red wine with the richness of winter and chilly evenings by the fire but there are plenty of red wines that pair perfectly with a balmy Sydney summer night. Plus, can you imagine going an entire season without red wine? Who’d want to do that?!
We asked Adam our head sommelier to share his best tips for drinking red wine in summer. From choosing the right wine to how best to serve it. He has expert knowledge of all things wine but he loves a good red, all year long. Here are his tips to help you enjoy your red wine this summer:
How to Choose a Red Wine for Summer
- Look at the climate. Reds that are made from grapes grown in hot summers can offer the best all-round flavour. Australian reds are typically a great option for summer.
- Look at lighter bodied wines. The clarets, merlots and the full-bodied red wines are better suited to winter. A light pinot noir like the Yellow Tail Pinot Noir NV is perfect for an Australian summer night.
- Choose a red wine with a lower alcohol content. As a wine contains more and more alcohol, it becomes heavier and as a result feels fuller in our mouths. A red wine under 12% alcohol is considered light-bodied.
- Choose unoaked or very lightly oaked reds. They are generally lighter, fruitier and much more refreshing on the warm summer days.
Chill it
Place your bottle of red wine in the refrigerator for about 20 to 30 minutes before serving. Red wines should be served colder than Australian-summer room temperature. Slightly chilled, your red wine will be bright and refreshing. Perfect.
Adam’s Favourite Summer Red
The 2019 Vibrant harvest Yarra Valley Pinot Noir is the perfect summer go-to red. The wine is elegant, fine and long with
all the trademark juicy red/black cherry and ripe plum you come to expect from quality yarra Pinot with the addition of some lovely savoury spice from quality French oak.