The Best of the Summer Wines, Part 1: BBQs
“Summer Breeze makes me feel fine…” Especially with a glass of wine. In Part 1 of our wine recommendations for Summer ’24, Audley Senior Advisor and wine connoisseur Annie Coleman offers her picks of must-try wines for our readers to enjoy at their summer BBQs.
“Wine is sunlight held together by water,” according to Galileo. As the summer holidays draw near and the air fills with the unmistakable warmth of sunshine, our palates naturally crave flavors and textures that echo the season’s lightness and vibrancy.
So, here are some suggestions of wines for your BBQs, picnics, and other al fresco occasions, even if that’s just sipping something delicious in your sun-drenched back garden or beside the whispering waves of the sea while on vacation.
For those, like me, who are still drawn to full-bodied reds all year round, I’ve included a few of those too. If it pours with rain and the chill sets in, they will warm the heart and palate.
BBQs
To pair with the variety of foods at your BBQ – from your classics like sausages and steaks, to fish, cheeses like halloumi, and salads – be prepared to chill not only the white and sparkling wines, but the red wines too. The ideal temperature for drinking is 15°C or even less for some Pinot Noirs. 22°C and above is too warm.
In general, Malbec and Shiraz are great red wines for the meat lovers:
The Hedonist Shiraz McLaren Vale has succulent blackberries, raspberries, plum, and that lovely bit of spice – black pepper and cardamon – that goes so well with barbecued meat. Robust tannins, but soft and well-integrated.
Waitrose £14.99
Tesco’s Finest The Trilogy Malbec Mendoza. Made by the ‘royal family’ of wine making in Mendoza, the Catena producers, this Tesco own label wine is guaranteed to be a crowd pleaser. A wonderful aromatic nose of ripe damsons, blackberries, chocolate, and black pepper. Good structure with the tannins, but again soft and smooth. Great value.
Tesco £13.00
For those who prefer fish and cheese at a BBQ, and who want a white to cut the heat and heaviness of summer with their light bodies and refreshing acidity, try some of these: Greek whites; a Riesling, always a very flexible food wine; and of course, the ubiquitous rosé. Assyrtiko from Greece is a great alternative to a Petit Chablis or Albarino wine.
Artemis Karamolegos Santorini 2021 has a wonderful, racy salinity; good structure; a welcomed austerity; and zingy acidity, which makes this a delicious choice.
Amathus Drinks £28.50
Or, try Zacharias Assyritiko for another mineral, crisp, citrusy wine that pairs well with seafood. Waitrose reduced this from £12.99 to £9.99 during July, and might reduce it again through August. If they do, seize the opportunity and grab it while you can at great value.
I’m a huge fan of dry Rieslings. They complement so many varieties of food and are delightful as quaffing wines, with their tendency to be low in alcohol – woften 11-12% abv. Lay & Wheeler have their own label created by Eva Friche, a well-known Riesling producer from the Rheingau area in Germany, Rheingau Riesling 2020. Honeyed baked apples; limes; lemon zest; ripe, lush fruit; zippy, mouthwatering acidity – delicious.
Lay & Wheeler £20.00
Any rosé you choose should have enough body and intensity to hold its own against the flavours of barbecued foods. Slightly richer, dry rosé wines like the Ripa Rioja Rosado 2019 have a depth of fruit flavours that won't be overwhelmed by other flavours on a plate. This is a very special rosé: an incredibly complex, gastronomic, and age-worthy pink wine. A blend of 85% old vine Garnacha and 15% Tempranillo, the aromas of dried orange blossom, garrigues, and strawberries spring from the glass. The texture is so smooth, and the complex palate, dry finish, and relatively full body allow this outstanding rosé to pair with many dishes.
Berry Bros & Rudd £31.00
‘Age, lovers, glasses of wine, these are the things that should never be counted.’ Italian proverb.
These wines aren’t all we have in store for you. Look out for Part 2, with Annie’s top wine picks for your summer picnics, coming soon…
By Annie Coleman, Senior Advisor at Audley.
Image credit/Frans de Wit/License