smart summer reds

Ah, summer time: roof-top terraces, pool parties, garden spreads, marquees and, of course, wine glasses flowing with ice cool rosé and crisp, refreshing whites. But wait a minute, what about those die-hard red wine lovers? Well there are options, and we’re here to guide you through:
When selecting reds to drink during the summer months, you’re really looking for 2 main attributes in the wine:

1. No (or low in) tannins. Tannin is a naturally occurring polyphenol found in seeds, bark, wood and fruit skins. They add a bitterness and an astringent quality to (mostly) red wine, as well as complexity and can signify the ageing potential of a wine. And that’s not what we’re looking for in a summer option! 
2. Acidity. Acidity in red wine is an essential component that’s necessary for the overall quality as without it, you’ll end up with over-concentrated fruit that’ll taste harsh and unbalanced. Acidity is going to give the wine a more food-friendly appeal as well as a refreshing component that can even allow you to drink it slightly chilled when the sun is really blazing down!

Here’s a few examples of suitable summer reds:
Barbera - Ripe black cherries and blackberries run alongside a backbone of acidity that should keep the palate feeling fresh as well as it being a great wine to pair with tomato-based foods such as pasta, bruschetta and grilled meats. As a low tannin wine, Barbera has the perfect attributes to keep you dining al fresco during the summer months.
Vernatsch (Schiava) - A popular choice amongst Italians in the mountainous region of Alto Adige, this light ruby wine has beautiful scents of wild berries, strawberries and violets, enveloped in a brisk and refreshing acidity and can also benefit from chilling slightly on the hottest of days. It has to be one of Italy’s best-kept secrets and we’re happy share it with you.
Rosso di Montalcino - The lighter styled Rosso di Montalcino, a sort of younger, "declassified" Brunello, was created so people could drink a more immediately accessible Montalcino wine. Harmonious, elegant but not overbearing in complexity, this makes for a more balanced all-rounder. Intense ruby in colour, this wine is full of luscious fresh fruits such as ripe cherries, blackcurrants and a touch of forest floor. Who says you can’t enjoy Sangiovese in the summer? 
Etna Rosso - Nerello Mascalese is the name given to the grape found in Etna Rosso wines and is highly regarded. Dark-skinned and most commonly grown on the volcanic slopes of Mount Etna, it has had, and is still having, a rapid upsurge in popularity since the turn of the century. This grape produces red wines that are fresh and fruity, yet elegantly structured with complex minerality and earthy notes that seem to counterbalance the highly perfumed and herbaceous flavours reminiscent of the noble wines of Barolo and Burgundy. 
Nero d’Avola - As a completely natural wine, this particular bottling, from the organic farm of the Gueli brothers in Agrigento, southern Sicily, has powerful perfumed notes of red and black cherry mingled with barnyard-esque and tertiary odours that comes from the purity of terroir that’s so prevalent with this minimal intervention wine. A bright and brisk acidity lingers long on the finish.
DP