Summer Wine Drinking Advice

Added: (Fri Jun 09 2006)

Pressbox (Press Release) - Summer Wine Drinking


As summer approaches and the nation adjusts its eating and drinking to reflect the warmer weather and longer evenings, it is worth reflecting on why some wines are more enjoyable at this time of year and looking at how recent trends in the wine market present UK buyers with unmissable opportunities for the summer months.

The quality of winemaking throughout the world continues to rise steadily and it is safe to say that standards have never been higher. The influence of innovative ideas from winemakers in the New World has fostered greater competition and an increasingly sophisticated and discerning public are now able to choose from a greater array of well-made wines than ever before.

New ‘hotspots’ of winemaking excellence appear on a regular basis – regions where, for a variety of reasons, the wines transcend their often humble traditions. The South of France is one region that has seen an explosion of remarkable wines in every colour. Faugeres, a small appellation in the Languedoc, is blessed with exceptional terroir and has been rapidly gaining a reputation for soft, fruity reds often with hints of fig and spice. Provencal Rosé is enjoying a resurgence, with some light, exceptional wines at long last finding their way onto the UK market. The very best rosés tend to be pale coral pink in appearance, with delicate notes of strawberry and summer berries on the palate. They offer refreshing summer drinking either as an aperitif or with light foods such as fish and salads. Rosé is now the fastest growing sector of the UK wine market and thankfully this has prompted a noticeable increase in quality in the mid range of the market – prices for decent wines start at under a fiver.

New Zealand is blessed with some of the best conditions for ripening grapes anywhere on the planet. The zesty, tropical fruit flavours of Sauvignon Blanc have enjoyed success over the last few years but grapes such as Pinot Noir and Riesling are also producing exceptional results. Leading producers include Waipara West, a spectacular vineyard on the South Island, who offer an award-winning range of varietals from zingy Sauvignon to a wonderful lime-laden Riesling. Cool-climate Pinot Noir is a marvellous accompaniment to the barbecue season, serve cool with grilled meats – delicious!

National optimism (and a healing metatarsal!) leads us to hope for a surge in interest in champagne to celebrate sporting success in July; however, even if the team do not go all the way in Germany, we reckon that any excuse to drink champagne is a valid one. We rather like Lily Bollinger’s take: “I only drink champagne when I am happy and when I am sad. Sometimes I drink it when I am alone. When I have company I consider it obligatory. I trifle with it when I am not hungry and drink it when I am. Otherwise I never touch it – unless I am thirsty.” Cheers.

To order any of the wines featured in this article please contact:
Ben Cahill
Lords Wines
B1 Millbrook Court
Midpoint 18
Middlewich
CW10 0GE