15 Wines to drink in the Summer!

Under the blinding rays and searing heat of the sun, there is nothing better than a refreshing glass of summer wine to enjoy with friends! Here are our 10 Summer Wines recommendations to freshen up your day in the summertime!

Sparkling Wine

Usually made with early harvested grapes creating a high level of acidity, sparkling wine has carbon dioxide formed in the winemaking process retained to create the fizzy, bubbly and refreshing feel we experience.

Champagne

Even now with sparkling wines available worldwide, only those from Champagne in France fulfilling an array of strict rules of the appellation remain legally authorized to be called as ‘Champagne’. Throughout its course of history, Champagne has been considered a celebratory drink to honour victory in various important occasions, for example in the coronation of Kings. It has always been and will continue to be one of people’s favourite choices of wine for both wine lovers and wine-tasting newbies.

Cava

Cava is a famous sparkling wine in Spain produced by the traditional method. In Cava production, the exact same way of making Champagne in France is adopted, so Cava was sometimes referred as “Spanish Champagne”. Of course, Cava has now developed its own distinguished reputation in the wine world, and different from Champagne, a range of Spanish local grapes were used to make the wine, giving it unique, complex flavours that differentiate itself from other sparkling wines.

Prosecco

Prosecco is another popular choice of bubbles. Produced mainly from Glera grape and with the tank-method, it is definitely a budget-friendly yet appealing wine. Compared to Champagne, Prosecco is usually more fruit-driven and flower-forward in the smell, with less toasty flavour from ageing with lees. Chilled Prosecco is a very common apéritif on dining tables worldwide.

Rosé

Its pink colour is always seductive! To achieve the perfect pink colour, rosé winemakers typically remove the grape skins from wine after just 12-36 hours of maceration, much shorter than in red wine production. It is also a delight to the palate – being considered as one of the most refreshing wines, rosé wine would be a great addition to any summer gathering.

Light Whites

Crisp whites are usually the first thing that comes to mind when we talk about summer wine. They can be enjoyed before or between meals. The refreshing and light white wines make it a perfect drink in the hot weather.

Reds

Red wines might be more popularly regarded as a winter wine but some reds also do wonders in the hotter months of the year. Depending on the wine options, we may slightly chill our red wines before serving. Also, light to medium-bodied reds pair well with a wide variety of light canapes, making it a great choice for picnics or parties.

Sake

If the summer wines mentioned above do not suit your taste, try Sake for a change – Sake is fast becoming one of the big trends. It can easily be paired with light summer food like sushi and seafood.

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Types	Examples	Serving Temperature
Sweet Wines	Sauternes, Sweet Muscats Wines	Cold 6-8 °C
Sparkling Wines	Champagne, Cava, Prosecco, Asti	Cold 6-10 °C
Light/Medium-bodied Whites	New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio	Chilled  7-10 °C
Medium/Full-bodied, Oaked whites	White Burgundy, Fume Blanc	Slightly Chilled 10-13 °C
Light/Medium-bodied Reds	Beaujolais, Valpolicella	Slightly Chilled 13 °C
Medium/Full-bodied Reds	Red Bordeaux, Red Burgundy, Rioja, Australian Shiraz, Barolo	Room Temperature 15-18 °C