Beat The Cruel Summer With Our Top Summer Wines
The summer’s not letting up anytime soon and neither is our supply of refreshing wines that you’re gonna love to chill with till the mercury ebbs.
It’s a cruel summer and isn’t cooling down anytime soon. Whether it’s the vagaries of global warming or just plain bad luck, you can’t control the weather. You can however tamp down the heat with some chillingly good wines. And we’ve gathered up a portable selection encompassing whites, bubblies and roses that delectably contrast the searing weather with cooling exuberance and bounty of fruit flavours. Simply turn the screwcap on a chilled bottle of new world whites and roses or pop the cork on a zesty Prosecco from Italy’s misty north or even better, a classic Champagne from the region’s most prestigious house. It’s no coincidence that the best summer wines come the misty recesses of Italy’s Veneto region, Mendoza’s high altitude vineyards and Champagne’s perpetually cool growing season. Our cheery Chenin Blanc from Paarl in South Africa is an interesting exception of a warm climate white that still packs a wallop of refreshing flavour. The summer heat might not relent anytime soon but neither will the abundance of summer wine choices from thewinepark.com. Cheers!
Man Family Free Run Steen Chenin Blanc 2020
The MAN Family has notched for itself the niche of making deliciously drink now wines and their Steen rates as a sterling example. South Africa is far and away the largest producer of Chenin Blanc and call their zesty style Steen. This easy drinking white produced in the region of Paarl, gushes with high notes of pear, pineapple and apples, elevated by zippy acid and minerality on the mouthfeel. Toss up scrumptious summer salads and lose the screwcap on this delicious white, double quick.
Colterenzio, Lumo Pinot Grigio 2019
If some wines were just made fo the summer, Pinot Grigio would be top of that heap. Inarguably Italy’s most popular white wine though amusingly not entirely local, Pinot Grigio is your classic summer fix as it were. The grape itself originally known as Pinot Gris was randomly imported from France to northern Italy where crafty winemakers saw the opportunity to turn a restrained wine into a cracking good one bursting with citrus and peach buoyed by crisp acidity. Stretch yourself out on the porch with this ideal summer day drinker – you can’t go wrong with Pinot Grigio.
Robertson Winery, Natural Sweet White Wine NV
This wine’s story is as interesting as that of South African wine itself. This deliciously sweet pleaser all around is a unique style that South Africa rightfully calls its own given its history of bottling this style before a modern revolution that made it the new world powerhouse it is today. Robertson Valley is perfectly placed to produce this style thanks to copious sunshine and warm afternoons that ripen the fruit early. This traditional style thrills the palate with intense fragrance and a balance of sweet character and ripe tropical fruit. So chill this wine down to 10 degrees C and savour its naturally sweet palate.
Susana Balbo, Crios, Rosé 2020
Roses are much loved for packing in the best of both worlds and that holds perfectly true for the Crios Malbec Rose. Malbec is an Argentine success story that never ceases to inspire and apart from making accolade winning reds, also makes light and floral rose wines. And who better than Argentina’s first woman winemaker Susana Balbo who has crafted this interestingly rose that expresses notes of violets and subtle red fruit complimented by bright acidity – an ideal summer afternoon aperitif.
Vinologist, Rosé 2019
This new world rose, almost tailormade to counter scorching summers, is the result of the vision of South African winemaking genius Marc Kent. He wanted to create a set of wines that most naturally represent their region which this rose does beautifully. Vinified from sustainably farmed fruit, the salmon pink wine is a fascinating blend of French noble grapes and boasts beautiful balance and notes of cherries and spice.
Bisol, Jeio Prosecco Brut Rose 2020
If ever a season screams sparkling, summer is it. And it doesn’t get much better than Italy’s bubbly phenomenon that keeps getting more popular. While most Prosecco is non vintage, we’ve managed to secure this high quality vintage Prosecco rose from the prolific Veneto estate of Bisol. The light bodied sparkling rose dazzles with floral notes and crisp texture, tasting of citrus and peach, lifted by an alluring salmon pink hue.
