It is no coincidence that Australian wine companies tend to release their red wines in winter. But resilient to this notion, and despite the silent protestations of the mercury or the calendar, Australians are actually turning the practice of drinking red wines in summer into an art form. So, if you’re staunchly determined to follow suit, what sort should you be looking for? The first part of the answer is that other than ros̩, which I’ll return to, you simply can’t tell a red by simply looking at the label. Summer reds should have lower alcoholic strengths, and labels do provide a broad, but not exact guide to that figure. With every degree Celsius above twenty that a wine is served, each percentage point of alcohol above thirteen becomes starkly more obvious. It also makes the wine appear sweeter. Inhale a spirity 15% Barossa shiraz in the heat of a summer’s day and don’t expect to return to work! Sadly, the current trend towards riper, more alcoholic red wine actually flies in the face of what is best to drink in the warmer times of the year. Tannins and acids are other issues, but you’ll need to taste a wine to see if it fits the bill for summer. Fine, tight and powdery tannins suit lighter summer cuisine significantly more than the coarser and more aggressive tannins seen so often in modern Australian reds. Similarly, reds of medium to full density that are punctuated by clean and refreshing acids make better summer drinking than the popular alternative based around thicker, heavier palates and softer, but less-defined acidity. Summer reds should be more savoury than sweet. Jammy, cooked fruit and residual sweetness rob them of their brightness, making them appear heavy-handed, simple and clunky when served in a warmer environment. Flying against this logic is the reality that most Australian ros̩, a red style that is enjoying a massive return to popularity today, is also excessively alcoholic, confectionary, jammy and sweet. So, if dialing up the ideal summer red, it would be medium to full in weight, moderate in alcohol (not much higher than 13%) with a vibrant and lively expression of fruit wrapped in fine, tight tannins that finishes savoury, not sweet, with refreshing acidity. In other words, despite the determination of many to enjoy them, most Australian red is actually entirely unsuited to drinking in summer! Brief Guide to Summer Reds Ros̩. The best are the dry versions, the best of which are made from pinot noir, grenache, shiraz and even cabernet sauvignon. The pinots can be very aromatic and savoury, the cabernets tangy and refreshing. Those from grenache can be great, but many are too sweet and alcoholic. Try Yering Station ED, Scorpo, Tigress, Mitolo, Summerfield, Turkey Flat, Charles Melton and Dominique Portet. Sangiovese. While this grape can in fact produce wines of great density and structure in Europe, most Australian expressions are juicy, vibrant, fine-grained and savoury. Sangiovese’s strengths in summer are its sour fruit qualities and particular emphasis on acidity. Try Pizzini, Stella Bella (Sangiovese & Cabernet Sauvignon), Coriole, Primo Estate Il Briccone (Shiraz Sangiovese), Domain Day, Montrose and Castagna. Pinot Noir. Look for fragrance, freshness, length of flavour and acidity. If you like chilling down a lighter style of pinot, just make sure there’s no greenness or stalkiness evident, for it will then taste rather metallic. Try Diamond Valley Blue Label, Stonier, Stefano Lubiana Primavera and Willow Creek WCV. Other European newcomers. While tempranillo produces some of the denser, more powerfully structured wines of Spain, the Australian wines now being made with this grape reveal appealing summer fruit flavours, minerality and a soft, approachable acid profile. Gemtree, Inghams Skilly Ridge and Nepenthe are recommended. Native of the Trentino/Alto Adige region in northern Italy, lagrein is responsible for a small number of perfumed, elegant, savoury and deeply fruited young wines. Look for the Domain Day and Cobaw Ridge. Shiraz. When they capture vibrant fruit framed by soft creamy oak and smooth tannins, shiraz can be arrestingly bright and even refreshing. Just beware the oak and the alcohol. Explore Glaetzer’s The Bishop, Cumulus’ Rolling, Mildara Coonawarra, Seppelt Victoria, Scotchmans Hill and Amberley First Selection. Shiraz Viognier. Spicier and more aromatic than most straight shiraz, these wines can be silky, smooth and seductive. Open a bottle of Yering Station, Henschke’s Henry’s Seven (which also includes grenache), d’Arenberg’s Laughing Magpie otr Mitchelton’s Parish. Ten Great Australian Reds for Summer Domain Day Lagrein 2004 Gemtree Vineyards Bloodstone Tempranillo 2004 Glaetzer Bishop Shiraz 2004 Heartland Dolcetto Lagrein 2004 Inghams Skilly Ridge Tempranillo 2004 McHenry Hohnen Tiger Country Tempranillo Petit Verdot Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 Mitolo Jester Sangiovese Ros̩ 2005 Rolling Shiraz 2004 Scorpo Ros̩ 2004 Yering Station Shiraz Viognier 2003
