Summer sippers: Our drinks expert chooses his warm-weather companions
(Picture: Aidy Smith)As we enjoy bathing in this glorious summer sunshine, we’re all left wondering one thing in particular: which refreshing wine should fill my glass tonight?
Well, ponder no more. Here, our drinks expert spills the grapes on what to look out for during your next supermarket shop, focusing on white wines that make for a perfect warm weather companion.
Single Vineyard Garuma Sauvignon Blanc 2021
The Chilean region of Leyda has been soaring in popularity over the last year as these newly sought-after wines continue to impress. This Sauvy B is the perfect sunshine remedy, packed full of punchy citrus, lime and pink grapefruit, with a freshness and beautiful minerality. Just when you think it’s coming to an end, another whoosh of grapefruit hits you on the finish.
£12, Tesco
Txomin Extaniz Txakoli 2020
A wine for those who like a little visual entertainment. Admittedly, I normally deserve to get told off when I try to pour wine into the glass from a dramatic height, but not with this wonder. Txakoli is a slightly carbonated wine, produced near the San Sebastian region of Spain. If you’ve visited before you’ll have likely seen it being served from an elevated height to retain the tiny bubbles that give it such vibrant character. As you’d expect, this wine is super bright and gleaming with fresh apple, pear, citrus zest and white peach. Basically, it’s the perfect aperitif, and it works absolute wonders with seafood.
£15.50 (currently £13), Ocado
Tre Fiori Greco di Tufo DOCG 2021
We don’t pay enough attention to local wines from Southern Italy, so let’s change that. This is Greco, a stunning white grape which, in this case, is produced in the tiny town of Tufo in the Campania region. It’s a slice of the Mediterranean you can have in your home everyday of the year and the ideal summer crowd-pleaser. It’s super exotic; mango, melon, peaches and pineapple are all held together with a mineral backbone. Did someone say pasta?
£10.99, Waitrose
The Falls Canadian Riesling 2019
Well, here’s a first. Never has a Canadian wine been plugged in this column, but if this one is anything to go by, there will be a lot more. Much like the UK, Canada has been producing wines for quite a while, but over the years, with the investment of more time, technology and skill, the quality has improved dramatically. Given the climate, Riesling grows incredibly well within certain regions, this one hailing from Ontario. Gooseberry, grapefruit, pineapple, peach and almond all jump out of the glass. Consider it your summer pizza wine.
£9.99, ALDI
Asquith Gardens Traditional English Sparkling Wine
I simply couldn’t resist including my top English summer sparkler. For the price, this is an absolute steal and a testament to the skill of our local winemakers. I’m not sure how they’ve done it, but I’m so impressed. Snap it up before it’s gone, because I can assure you, it will be. A dazzling blend of the Champagne-style grapes (Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier) are aged for five years to gain complexity and character. The result is a honey-forward, apple Danish pastry dream, flourishing with zesty citrus, white pepper and baked nectarines. Utterly divine.
£18, ASDA
Tempus Two Copper Wilde Chardonnay 2020
Here we have one of my favourite Chardonnays of the year, from an Australian producer who knocks it out of the park with each new vintage. This gorgeous assemblage hails from two regions, Hunter Valley and Tumbarumba, and the winemaker has paid meticulous attention to let the oak work alongside the fruit, so you get a gentle, creamy peach with pineapple, apple, aromatic spice and a vanilla Danish. This wine puts me in my happy place. Sun optional.
£15, Sainsbury’s
Jean Chartron Rully En Thiveaux
Wines from Burgundy don’t need to be pretentious and the Co-op continues to acknowledge that. This phenomenal producer hails from the heart of the acclaimed Puligny-Montrachet region and thankfully for us, they’ve been making wine for generations. Soothing, with a well-balanced fruit-to-oak ratio, this treat is bursting with lemon zest, white plums and a kiss of creamy butterscotch, thanks to the oak ageing.
£18, Co-op
